Day 25 ~ Rest Day in Leon

(Sunday, May 26th)

We wake suddenly at 5:40am when two ladies who were placed on mattresses on the floor get up and turn all the lights on. We assume its their way of getting a small amount of retribution.

Realizing that there's no reason to fight it now (it always goes like a ripple effect and within minutes everyone in the room is up dancing around in a packing frenzy) we just join in.

Cheri's decided to stay a night in the Parador, which is where Annette, Sungye, and I will also be. We are so excited to have privacy, a bathtub, and a comfy bed with luxurious linens. Real bath towels that not only smell nice but also actually dry you off. While camping towels are a nice idea and they dry quickly after you use them, they tend to move water around on your body rather than actually absorb it.

Have I introduced Sungye? I can't remember. She's a beautiful quiet girl from South Korea that has been on the Camino with me from the start. We've bumped into each other every few days or so and talked in passing but we've never walked together. She is an artist that takes things after an engineer has designed them to be structurally sound and makes them prettier, things like bridges for instance.

We all head out for a quick coffee before 9 am mass, which Sungye and I have planned to go to. When I look at the clock and realize we are going to be late I tell Sungye and we rush out leaving Cheri inside sorting her hotel booking. When we walk out of the cafe, still two blocks from the cathedral, we find ourselves in the middle of a huge procession. Assuming its First Communion, since its still May, we carry on along and into the cathedral with everyone in town. It turns out that the are moving Mary. Apparently she roves around from one local cathedral to the next. I'm not sure how frequently this happens but by the looks and size of the celebration, I would say its not that often. There are so many people packed inside the huge cathedral that the majority of us have to stand. On our way out we run into Tim & Beth and we finally take a few minutes to chat.

It turns out that Beth spent a lot of her childhood and teenage years living in Springfield, Missouri. She also knows Joplin pretty well and went to college in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Such a small world, and then Tim & I started talking and I found that he had lived in Bellingham, Washington for many years, as well as Lima, Peru. I knew from the start that I really liked these two and got a good vibe from them. It's so good to have a little time to chat finally, but what interesting people, I would love more time!

After mass we head to the Parador for our luxury escape. Upon rounding the corner and seeing it for the first time we start with, "no way!" and "you've got to be kidding me!?" there was also a, "holy cow!" Yes, that one was me. It's so much more than we imagined, and we had days and many miles to let our imaginations run wild with expectation. The possibility for disappointment was huge, but there we stood, mouths wide open staring at the magnificence of the perfectly restored 16th century Monastery. If you ever walk the Camino Frances, or visit Leon, the 90 euro you will pay for a room in the Parador will be the best you've ever spent. The 60 for an in room massage, the second best) We lingered outside taking pictures and squealing with delight like little girls. Walking inside in pilgrim clothes felt so strange in this super posh place, but we were treated very well. After being assigned rooms, we booked massages, and went straight to our bathtubs, kissing each other goodbye in the corridor.

I had to drain my bath water three times and refill the tub to get all the grime off. If I were naming a new crayola crayon color it would have been something like "terra cotta soup" or maybe "Rioja Roux" It was pretty intense hygiene therapy and just what I needed because what followed was absolute relaxation. This was literally the first time in 25 days that I could say that I had completely relaxed. Some days had been better than others on the Camino, but there was a constant level of anxiety about something at all times. Having a bed, getting laundry done in time for it to dry, finding food, weird rashes, people coughing their heads off in the beds two feet away from you on either side, sore spots that could evolve into blisters or even bigger problems like with so many of my Camino friends who can no longer walk.

After I get the water in the tub to remain clear, I begin doing crazy, extravagant things like shaving, removing all the layers of Compeed and medical tape from my feet, and conditioning my straw like hair. There are several tiny bottles of smell good things that have been placed ever so carefully in my bathroom, and I open every one of them and dump them in the water.

I soak until way beyond pruney, an then get out of the tub feeling like a noodle well past aldente. Within a few minutes there's a knock at my door and I am met by Kristine who says a very quick hello, while moving the large furniture around with ease to make room for the massage table. She then wheels in a small cart containing a CD player that immediately begins to play soft classical music, candles which she arranges around the room & lights, and various massage oils. She then shuts the shutters tight, which makes the room pitch black in an instant. (Spanish people know how to block out every glint of sun for daytime sleeping, they have this mastered, they are professionals). The whole evolution, including introductions and ascertaining "hard" or "soft" massage, takes less than 5 minutes. This girl is good!

I can't tell you much more because I have no memory of anything for hours after that, but I know it was just what I needed. She called it the "Peregrina Special," how could it be anything but exactly what I needed. I woke up a few hours later feeling completely rested and ready to hit the town with the ladies.

Annette, Cheri, and I (Sadly, Sungye is struggling with back pain and isn't able to join us) meet in the lobby at 6 to go to a free concert being held in the Leon Cathedral. It's hard to believe but I'm on my way to see the University of Notre Dame Glee Club perform. Tim and Beth told us about it when we ran into them earlier, and even though it is a long walk back to the cathedral from our lovely hotel, we can't miss an opportunity to see these young men sing. We try, to no avail, to find a meal at 6pm on a Sunday in Spain, save yourself the time and frustration and don't ever attempt this. After 45 minutes of searching, we end up eating tuna empanadas from a panaderia and drinking Fanta from a can, while standing in line outside the cathedral. We certainly got a few looks of complete and utter disdain from the sleekly dressed Spanish concert goers, who are not only in black from head to toe, but are also presumably filled to the gills with proper drinks & tapas.

The concert is simply amazing, (I will post a snippet on fb) and well worth the stampede that ensued when they opened the doors and the sweet 70-80 year old Spanish people we were waiting & chatting with, suddenly became world class sprinters who have been professionally taught how to throw elbows.

After the concert we stop off at a bar for hot chocolate and churros and the discussion is heavy. Many are feeling that time is running out until Santiago and they haven't had the clarity, or epiphany, or change in themselves yet that they seek. This is hard for me to think about, but at the same time, impossible to let go. I find myself going back over our late night conversation in my head as I fall asleep in the gigantic comfy bed, which is sitting in the huge, perfectly quiet room with my own personal bathroom attached. Life is good!

Day 24 ~ Villarente to Leon

(Saturday, May 25th)

I wake up late and get ready slowly. The sun is shining and Leon is just a short, easy 15k walk away.

Cheri has been awake all night with pain & swelling in her leg. She isn't sure what she needs to do, but she knows she doesn't want to feel pressure to walk at another persons pace. We have a quick breakfast and say goodbyes not knowing when or if we'll run into each other again.

As I set off I find myself thinking of the walk into Leon as being labeled "mind numbingly boring" or even (this ones my favorite) "soul crushing". It's basically a 15k walk through an industrial area that lies just outside of the city. Many people, some from injuries, some from just pure dread, have decided to take the bus. Now, I have to say that I understand that people with injuries must continue their forward motion even when injured if they want to reach Santiago by their desired date. But I also have to say that the majority of people seem to be bussing for parts of this walk. This just strikes me as being so bizarre. From the point that I learned about this pilgrimage, I've had it in my head that its a walking pilgrimage from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago. Granted, many people start in other places in Europe and literally walk out of their front doors and then walk until they connect with the Camino Frances. There are also numerous other routes (with other names) to Santiago that originate in places besides St. Jean. But to truly walk the whole Camino Frances, you must walk from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago. The sticky point for many people, I guess, is that anyone can get a credential saying they've completed the pilgrimage if they walk from the minimum required distance, which is about 100k out from Santiago. I'm not sure how this came about, how can any distance, whether it's 100k or 800k for that matter, be deemed the requirement for divine forgiveness? Who knows, but the Catholic Church seems to have the inside scoop on these things.

So, I set out to walk the pilgrimage and never had thoughts of doing anything else. From May 2nd until I arrive in Santiago, my intention is to walk and not to use moving transport at all. Not for any particular reason, other than that this was my interpretation of the pilgrimage and my expectation for myself.

This brings to mind an email that I received from Sean, the young man from Seattle that walked the Camino with his dad a few years ago. He commented on my blog and how difficult I was finding the weather to be. He said that he remembered his father saying something to the tune of, "You're supposed to suffer a little, it's a pilgrimage, not a nature walk". I thought about this a lot while walking today. It's exactly what I needed to hear.

I've actually found that the parts of the walk that many of my fellow pilgrims have skipped offer the best time for my thinking. With nothing beautiful to distract me, and level path, sidewalk, or road beneath my feet, I don't have to be focused on my footing. I consider this time "Camino work" time. With Cruz de Ferro just a few days away, I've had a lot of Camino work to do. As far as the "soul crushing" part goes, I think we must first have our soul crushed a little, or be shown humility in some manner before we can get to the good stuff and begin to rebuild. On some level it has to be what attracts so many people to this pilgrimage. Lets face it, people don't typically strike off to walk 500 miles if they're not looking for a little something. This isn't the typical vacation for someone needing a little rest & relaxation, and certainly isn't for the faint of heart. It's obviously for each person to decide what they want from this experience, but if it's just for a little holiday, it seems like they surely would've chosen something else. Hawaii maybe?!

Upon entering Leon I bump into a young man from the UK named Tony. I remember from an earlier conversation, and the look on his face now, that he's leaving today. He must get back to work but his plans are to return in a few months to complete another section. Seeing his sad, calm smile reminds me of how fast both the days, and the distance are passing for me now. I'm beginning to feel as if I have to hold onto every moment for as long as I can.

Tony and I have a chat, exchange our contact information and then say goodbyes on the cobbled streets of Old Town Leon. I stand in place watching him walk away and decide that I must try to sleep less so I can experience more in my last days.

Within minutes I am queuing up for a 5 euro bed in the massive convent. After my passport is stamped with the sello and my fee paid, I am led by Maria down into the basement where she dutifully passes me off to Maria (no lie) who assigns my bed. Upper bunk with no ladder in a room with 60 others, perfect! I see that there's a long line for the shower & decide to unpack and head into town without one. I don't really need one as the walk was so short, but I feel awfully rebellious for straying from my regimented routine.

I head over to the little main square and find the coolest bar in Spain. Beautiful & sweet Australian bar tender, great food, wifi, & Elvis playing softly. I stayed for three hours sampling just about every tapa they offered and then set out for a little stroll.

Annette and I bump into each other in front of the cathedral and she tells me she's on her way to find gelato. Perfect! Just what I needed to top off my tapas! We sit eating our gelato & catch each other up on all the pilgrim news we know. As we walk back past the cathedral a Rolls Royce pulls up and out comes a bride with her father. A huge crowd gathers and we all stand in awe of her dress and the posh wedding party. As we walk away and into another smaller square, we see a second wedding. This one has the wedding party dressed in Great Gatsby attire and a completely shrink wrapped mini in front of the church.

While watching the groomsmen toss extremely loud firecrackers which spread confetti into the crowd (very strange custom which makes all the children and some adults cry) we see Stefania & Clara from Milan.

These sisters are twins. Stefania Zini is an artist, and Clara Zini her best friend, support, & business partner. They travel all over the world for weeks at a time taking photos, and then head back to the art studio in Milan for Stefania to paint. When she has used all the photos for inspiration and is ready for more, they go someplace else for a few weeks. Their Camino also ends here. I will really miss these two lovely ladies! Check her work out at Webartgallery.it

With nothing more to do and several hours before bedtime still, I decide to head back to my cool little bar. I settle myself in a comfy corner and order Asparagus and Salmon salad with a glass of Rioja. When they bring my salad I am just amazed. It's a large, deep terra-cotta plate with a layer of creamed Gorgonzola cheese on the bottom, then a bed of arugula, topped with white asparagus and fresh salmon. It then has toasted almonds, and blond raisins sprinkled over with a balsamic vinegar drizzle. The flavors along with the wine are the most heavenly thing I've tasted on this trip yet.

Within minutes a gaggle of Germans pack themselves into my tiny little bar and before I know it the soft Elvis is replaced with Munich vs Someone blaring out of all the TV's. I say goodbye's to all of them (all pilgrims I've walked with for the past few days too) and head to my bed.

When I get to the convent, I am surprised to find Cheri lying in the bunk under me with her leg propped up and on ice. She's been to the doctor and advised that she needs a couple days of rest. She's very relived to know that its nothing serious, but still not sure what her plans are.

I'm even more surprised to find the Pope in my bed! I don't have any idea how I missed it earlier, but there is a giant, life sized poster of the Pope on the wall where my top bunk is. I consider for a moment that maybe Maria, or maybe it was Maria, thought I needed some watching over in the night and placed it there after I left. I have no idea how I missed it, the thing is enormous, but I can now say that I've slept with a Pope!

Day 23 ~ El Burgo Ranero to Villarente

(Friday, May 24th)

Cheri and I are up early, and bolt out of our room at the albergue to find that our shoes are gone. We had left them in the courtyard to air out in the sun and forgot to bring them in when we went to bed. We both remain very calm and start searching the albergue. We know that another pilgrim most likely brought them in for us, to avoid the damp that night brings. Sure enough, we find them carefully placed inside, but we also find that some pilgrims had a pretty rowdy, drunken, rough night. The mess in the main albergue can't be described, other than absolutely disgusting, and 30 pilgrims had to sleep in a room with it. Cheri & I walk out thanking our blessings for only having the option for a private room. Our room was very clean. It passed our stringent battery of bed bug testing procedures with flying colors, and we found ourselves seduced by the clean fresh scent of the sheets and (this is practically unheard of in an albergue) the pillows. Cheri actually lost herself in a moment of unadulterated pillow sniffing bliss, but that's okay, because I just happened to have my camera handy! We walked away with no regret at all about the 25 euros we each spent.

We head out as quickly as we can without having breakfast, not so much a choice as the fact that there isn't breakfast to have. Today's walk starts with a solid14k straight down a gravel path next to the main roadway, and no breakfast or coffee stops along the way. The day is sunny and a little cool, once again perfect walking weather. We walk along for over an hour next to this major road without seeing a single soul, and then all of a sudden two cars pass by within five minutes of each other. Cheri says, "What is this, Spanish rush hour?" and just cracks me up! One thing you can count on in Spain prior to 10am, no matter what day of the week, is peace and solitude. The Spaniards are either not awake prior to 10, or else there's a law that says they can't come of their houses until then. We haven't figured out which it is.

We walk along for a couple of hours without coming to the cafe that our map shows, so we sit on a bench and eat some left over, slightly questionable food from our packs.

Malio and his friend stop as they pass by to see if they can now persuade us to go an additional 10k to the spot they have chosen to stay. We chat a bit but tell them that we are already booked in an albergue in the other town we selected. We take photos and say goodbyes knowing we could see them again tomorrow or never.
(The pilgrim relationship is something that requires study I think. We build such strong connections with other people quickly, this even occurs in spite of significant language barriers sometimes...I have many thoughts & observations for future ramblings)

After our 20 minute bench break, Cheri & I carry on about 500 yards around a bend to see the cafe that would have kept us from eating day old backpack scraps. We shrug our shoulders and smile at each other, then head straight into the cafe for breakfast number two.

Our final destination for today is another 12k away. Walking in the Meseta is much different from the first few weeks of the Camino. The path is straight for the most part, flat, and feels really long because you can see miles of the path ahead of you. Still, we have nothing to complain about if there's no rain. We did cheat a bit and, after nearly missing a bed last night, we booked two beds at an albergue. Cheri has been dealing with pretty severe leg pain, so we didn't know what to expect for time today. We wanted to be prepared.

While walking, we happen to pass the lovely German man who owns the super tasteful sleeping mask. He takes quite a liking to Cheri and begins to tease her on the path and not let her pass by. Then, to my complete surprise and astonishment, he begins to speak nearly perfect English to her and refers to me as "Miss Hawaii" Up to this point, I'd never heard him do anything other than snore, grunt, and speak German. When we had dinner at the albergue that night, everyone in our area could speak English but he would only speak German. Now all of a sudden he's fluent, jovial, and full of social desire. I have to admit that Cheri has this effect on people. As we walk away, I share the story with her about his sleeping mask....she just shivers and says, "Eeewwww!"

We pass by a field with two storks walking along eating yummy things from the ground. They are fairly close to us so we get some photos. It reminds me of the man with the dog & two storks, so I tell Cheri about it. With a perfectly straight face, and no further questioning, she calls me a liar and turns on her heel to start walking.

When we finally arrive at the albergue, who do we come face to face with? Malio, and his quiet friend, who I still haven't managed to get a name for. (I really should have just made something up by now. Vinny, that's what we'll call him!) So, Malio and Vinny are thrilled to see us, and are excited to ride the bus into Leon for some afternoon explorations. We however, are only interested in showers and some down time. So we say our goodbyes once more. After they leave Cheri decided that Malio is the spitting image of Dick van Dyke in Diagnosis Murder. She's absolutely right & from this point on I can't look at him without seeing Dick van Dyke and smiling a little.

Our albergue is lovely and rustic with a huge garden courtyard area. We have hot showers, laundry, wifi, dinner, a comfy bed, and Leon is a mere 15k away!

As if things could get any better, after dinner I log in to find a message from my Camino Ninjas. Marek, (King June One, the first) has recovered and is back with Fabby, Jenny, & Benedict. They are all doing very well now and are only a day behind me. Yes indeed, life is very good.

Day 22 ~ Morantinos to El Burgo Ranero

(Thursday, May 23)

Because Annette had gotten a tip from another pilgrim, we stayed in Morantinos rather than in Terradillos. This is a tiny, quiet, peaceful village where you never hear a sound that isn't from nature. I made a short video of a hill covered in a tall crop just across from the hotel. (I'll post on fb) The wind blows the grass around swaying this way and then that, and looks like waves on the ocean. You can hear crickets, frogs, and even a couple of flies in the video. I'm not sure if I've ever been anywhere so peaceful.

Coming here meant walking 31k for the day, which was well worth the clean, welcoming, hospitality and wonderful food we were rewarded with. The brand new Hostal Moratinos we stayed in is owned and operated by a German woman, and her Spanish husband. They were delightful from the minute we arrived and he spoiled us with vegetables and deliciousness!

By the time I showered and delivered my basket of laundry to be washed and hung for me (another absolute luxury) Cheri and Annette have arrived. Cheri & I go down for dinner and are astonished at the quality of the food. As pilgrims, you learn not to expect a lot. Meals are typically some sort of pasta and a lot of white bread with water and wine. Not today though! I begin with gazpacho that is so thick the spoon mark remains after my first bite. I can't describe the flavor. It's crisp and clean with tomato, garlic, and hints of melon. It's divine. Then I have a fresh vegetable & cheese omelette that is close to outdoing the gazpacho. I finish with his homemade chocolate mint mouse ice. Once again, there are no words to describe it. Cheri and I just sit rocking back and forth making happy sounds. We are so thrilled with dinner, and our Chef so appreciative of our praise, that he promises to make us peanut butter and peach marmalade sandwiches to take for lunch when we leave.

When we come down the next morning for breakfast there is a serious crowd. Everyone who stopped before this village has heard about the food and decided to stop for breakfast. Annette, Cheri, & I chat, eat a quick breakfast and then I head out, once again, passing Tim & Beth on the way. We all chuckle and promise to catch up later.

On my way out of town, I stop to take photos of the village bodegas. These are basically storage cellars built into a hill and each village member is given one when they purchase property. I was super jealous when I heard from Annette that Cheri & I had missed out on a private tour of one the evening before. But then, I did get to have that amazing meal!

I also stop to photograph some restoration work that shows a mud and straw mixture as the basis for new walls before they are covered with something else...surely they are covered with something else?! I love the detail of two small windows and the perfection of the measurements and balance.

I walk alone for most of the morning with sunny skies but crisp cool air. Perfect walking weather! Upon entering Sahagun, I take a short alternate path that follows a stream and offers some great photos of Virgen del Puente.

As I am leaving town I run into Cheri and we walk along and chat a bit. I am bummed because I packed a resupply box with half of my needed vitamins, supplements, medication, hygiene products, and whatnot, in an attempt to keep my weight for the whole 46 day trip down. The plan was for it to get posted via dhl to the Parador in Leon where they would hold it until I arrived. Several things happened and long story short, there's no way the box will make it in time and I can't afford to wait a third or forth day in Leon for it to arrive. As I'm walking out of town contemplating my other options of visiting 10 different stores to get the needed supplies (they don't have those "one stop shopping for all your needs" kind of stores here) and paying the extra cost for purchasing in euros, I walk all the way out of town without getting any cash...AGAIN. Quick scan tells me that I have only thirty euros. While this is better than 8, it's still not enough to cover bed, laundry, & food for 24 hours. Now I'm just plain old mad! I can't believe I've done this a second time and in the same week.

We walk about 10k and then stop at a new little cafe. The couple who own it tell us that they met on the Camino four years ago, he from Croatia and she from Northern Spain. They fell in love and then decided to walk the Camino again two years ago. While walking, they found property for sale along The Way and it was in an area they thought needed a cafe and albergue. So naturally they bought it, and started renovations immediately. They now have the loveliest cafe, an albergue that will be open soon, and most importantly, a nine month old beautiful baby boy they named Leonardo. There are many pilgrims sitting listening as they tell this story and we are all touched at how drastically their lives have been changed. Hearing stories such as this makes people have faith that walking the Camino can truly change your life. We've discussed this a bit lately, it seems to be on the minds of several pilgrims. We are getting closer to the end and yet they don't have the answers they need, or the change they seek. I think it must be somewhat like a walking workshop in the sense that we will walk and think, discuss things with people along the way & let it all churn around and ruminate. However, the change that we seek can't really begin until we are back in our natural environments. Or at least it may not be apparent until we are faced with our normal daily lives again, and all the people that we are now away from.

I believe whole heartedly that this experience can change each of our lives, but I think the odds are greater that walking the Camino will change who we are, or bring about certain opportunities and then we must consciously do the work to change our own lives when we return home. Just like the couple who bought the property. Yes, they met each other on the Camino, but everything else came about through their leap of faith followed by a lot of hard work.

Cheri and I linger too long at the cafe and when we realize that it's already 2pm and we still need to walk 7.5k we panic a bit. We decide to just get it done at a good pace and hope there's a bed wen we get there.

We arrive absolutely wiped out and Cheri's leg is giving her loads of grief about the fast pace we've kept. Pilgrims walk out to the street, saving us a few steps, to tell us there is no room left at the municipal. We basically run straight to the only other albergue in town. There is one double room left. We spilt the cost & settle in. I now have 10 euro, and there's no bank in this little "two albergue" town. I head to the supermacado to buy a Bocadillo & some chips for dinner, and a pastry for breakfast. Then I head back to the open garden to sit in the sun with my feet up.

I am immediately greeted by a shirtless Malio & his quiet friend. This is such a surprise as we figured that they would be far ahead of us by now. We compare feet, blisters, & rashes and discuss the best final walking destination for tomorrow. We cannot agree as he plans on 35k and I plan on 25k. We agree to disagree and part ways saying we might bump into each other in Leon.

Ten minutes later, they are both back and are wearing the tiniest little speedos I've ever seen in my life. Cheri & I both agree that the best approach in this instance is not to make direct eye contact. It works, and we are left to ourselves to sit in the sun and rest our amazing, yet tired, feet.

Day 21 ~ Carrion to Moratinos

(Wednesday, May 22nd)

My morning started face to face with a nun greeting me in full habit. Once again I've slept until 7am without waking. She says, "Buenos Dias Peregrina" and then makes little walking motion with her fingers to let me know that I need to get a move on. Clearly Saint James isn't going to come to me. I quickly pack my goodies and resist the strong urge I have to snap a quick picture of her making the bed in the next room.

My goal today is 26.8k away in Terradillos and will mark the halfway point for my journey. I find it hard to believe but at the same time find it to be very empowering. (251 miles completed!)

I begin walking without breakfast & decide that I'll stop after 15k. It's a straight shot all on road, which some people are finding to be difficult, but as long as the sun is shining, I am a happy girl! The path however, changes unexpectedly after 10k to flat gravel road through farm fields, this is lovely.

I stop at the first place that I come upon and have a great feast. Scrambled eggs with cheese, ham, & mushrooms. The first time I've seen this in Spain. As I head out I see Cheri & Annette sitting outside. They suggest making a booking because they've heard that many places are already full. I call to find that only a double is available for 45 euro, but Cheri offers to share with me, so we are set. Cheri is planning to take her time so this works out well for her too. I head off with a much more relaxed feeling to know that I have a bed no matter how late I arrive.

As I come through Terradillos I know it marks the completion of half my journey. I look at the time in Honolulu and see that it's midnight but I decide to try Login anyhow. I've only spoken with her once during my trip, at Mother's Day, and I got all choked up and started crying when I had to say goodbye to her. I am so glad when I hear her groggy little voice answering on the other end of the line. I know that today was her last day of classes for junior year and it's hard knowing that I'm not there to do our usual end of year celebrations. We walk together and talk for 2k while she tells me all about her end of year awards and her final grades. It feels as if she's right next to me. Eventually we say our goodbyes and I continue along with this amazing young lady on my mind.

As a sophomore in high school, she found herself in a very tough position. Her father had taken a posting in Hawaii her freshman year which, he was told, would only be for two years since he was going without his child. During the two years she spilt her time, continuing to go to school in the lovely little (North) Lakewood, Washington where she was thriving and then heading to Hawaii to see her dad during school breaks and summer holiday. This meant that she couldn't continue her summers as a camp counselor at Camp Kiloqua, she couldn't attend summer training with the wrestling team she managed, she also missed piano lessons for these breaks and she couldn't get a part time job to begin saving for college as her brother & sister had. It also meant that her dad missed everything that happened with her during the school year.

When Brooke found that his orders were actually written for 3 years vice two and went to see what leeway he had in his command, he was told that they would be happy to extend a year but not to allow an early transfer. Login was devastated to think that he would now most likely miss her last two years of high school as well.

I was just finishing up my Masters program, and while very happy in our little Lakewood hamlet as well with loads of people we loved, I knew that once they finish high school and go to college, it's just never the same. I told her to do some soul searching and decide what she felt she wanted to do. What a decision for a 16 year old, but I've never believed in raising the children without letting them make life choices along the way, and at 16 years old, she tends to be more self-aware, mature and reflective than many adults. She visited her dad one more time during spring break and then came back to Washington ready to make the move.

She left a school of 500 students, all of which she knew, and the teachers as well, to go to a school with over 2,000 students and knowing none of them. She started the year off with a schedule of AP & honors classes and an additional online class she would do on her own time from home. She started concert choir and was quickly nominated as the music board representative and then was asked to play some accompaniment pieces as well. She has continued her private lessons and study of piano, and has worked hard and grown bounds as a musician. She took drivers Ed, as well as her drivers examination test, and is now driving with confidence (and caution) in chaotic Honolulu, Hawaii traffic. She took every Red Cross certification class that was offered and began babysitting to fill her free time and to save money for college. She has become the babysitter for many of our Ft. Shafter families and in just one year has saved (I can't say the exact amount, but it's very impressive!) thousands of dollars for college. I have seen her babysit for three different families in one day, and work the scheduling out with ease. What's even more impressive to me is how much she loves and enjoys these kids and their parents.

She hit the ground running, and when she was making her way and selecting friends, she didn't mess around. There was not enough time to spend with people whose goals didn't align with hers, so she learned to quickly recognize friendships that weren't healthy and positive and let them go. This is so hard as a new student in a big school, but she rocked it, and has some great friends now going into senior year.

As she finishes her year with a 3.94 gpa, and a 107% in her online class, awarded the Moanalua Music Award for Most Outstanding in Chorus, and placed on the Moanalua High School Music Wall of Fame for her contributions this year, I'm just astounded by her courage in making this move, and her determination to make the very best of it.

There's honestly not enough I can say about how genuine, kind, and bright this beautiful girl is. I am so proud of her for the decisions she's made and the hard work she's put in this year. I can't wait to celebrate with her on June 16th!

Day 20 ~ Boadilla del Camino to Carrion

(Tuesday, May 21)

I wake feeling very well rested to the sounds of 30 people stirring around in the room. I'm amazed that I've slept this late but it was apparently what I needed.

After I pack things up, I head in for a quick breakfast & then Eduardo totals my bill and gives me the special envelope. Bed, hot shower, laundry, amazing dinner, and breakfast all in a beautiful setting for 25 euros, on credit no less. You just can't beat that. He gives me directions, smiles his big smile and then says, "See you soon, in Hawaii!"

As I head off for Fromista, the sky is crisp and clear. We all discussed the forecasts for the next few days at breakfast and it looks like things will continue to improve. The walking is getting so much easier for my body and feet to endure each day and then recover from, and with the terrain mostly flat now, the only thing left to worry about is weather. I feel so at ease on the Camino now, it's taken 20 days for me to settle in.

I get into Fromista, get cash, go to the pharmacia to replenish my Compeed and to get new cream for dry, cracked hands. My final errand is to go to the bar and pay off my debt, I also plan to have a second breakfast while I'm there. The bar is nice, I hand over the envelope to a woman who says, "Ah, yes, for Eduardo!" And then he brings me tortilla, Napoleontana, cafe con leche, and a queso, jamon, & tomato Bocadillo to go.

Life is good! I have 200 euro, which makes me feel wealthy after being down to 8 for two days, I have clean laundry, I have all the pharmacy supplies I need, I have a full belly full of food, and I have my next meal. I'm really not sure that it gets any better than this on the Camino.

I start off again and continue on another 15k before stopping for a break. Most of the path is just flat gravel road that runs alongside the road, so it's not very eventful. This is a nice change though as my mind is just free to wander. Along the way, I do see a very sweet small church off by itself in the trees and I had another sheep encounter. This time we met while crossing a bridge.

I made a good choice when I stopped because as I enter the bar I see Tim & Beth who have just settled. They are just as excited to see me as I am them. The day has been a long solo walk, it's nice to see familiar faces. Several local people come in just after me an the small bar gets very loud so we move outside. There is enough time for us to exchange stories and photos about children, they have three grown children as well, but I still don't manage to find out how he learned his Spanish.

As I am leaving town, another couple stop me and ask if I'll take a photo for them. While taking the photo, I apparently laid my thin running gloves down & then left them. When I realize this I am absolutely devastated and about 5k down the road. The thin gloves have been my saving grace every morning when I set out early in the cold. Another Camino donation that I'm really not very happy about.

It begins to get overcast and colder and looks like it could rain at any moment. It's so funny how quickly things can change on the Camino. I start to move as quickly as possible and then I see a large mob of people up in the distance on the path. A sheer moment of panic strikes as I think it's a tour group and they are going to arrive in Carrion just before me and fill up all the albergues. As I move closer though, I can see that they are children and it appears that they are standing sill waiting for me to reach them. When I get to them they are all smiles and one little boy asks if I speak Spanish, I answer "un poco" for a tiny bit, and ask if they speak English. When I do several of them shout, "Hello!" and then smile. The same little boy asks where I'm from and when I say Hawaii, they all begin to hula or pretend to surf. We attempt to talk a little bit more and then the teacher (it was a group of school children with their teacher) prompts them to let me move along. They ask if they can walk with me and I say, "Absolutely! or I mean, Si, Gracious!" And then he says, "we walk with you and we sing, okay?" It just doesn't get any better. They marched right along with me and sang this song which had a certain cadence to it and periodically, I could make out "Coca Cola!" (I made a very short video of them, sadly it was the end of my day & the darn phone died. I will post it on my fb page) I did talk with the teacher and learn that they were all from Carrion and were on a Camino field trip for the day, to walk along with and talk to the pilgrims. Just another magical day on the Camino!

It was so much fun, and before I knew it I was standing in front of Monesterio Santa Clara, tired, but very happy. I get a private room with no laundry, dinner, or breakfast for 22 euro. Not a great deal, but it's late and I'm happy enough to have a bed.

Take my shower and lay with my feet on the headboard while I look at the map & make my dinner plans. After a bit I head out and find wifi, amazing pimento rellanos, and the two beautiful Canadian boys all in the same bar. They are exhausted, Josh is literally asleep, head down on the table.

On my way back to the Monastery, I pop in a shop to buy a pair of pink fuzzy gloves in the window, and my young English speaking friend is in the store. His parents own the store and he takes great pride in introducing me to them and telling them where I'm from. He then takes my gloves from me and removes the tags ever so carefully with scissors. I like this boy!

When I walk out I almost run into Kathy & Wayne from Canada. I haven't seen them in ages, but it's very comforting to know they are here. We started in St. Jean Pied de Port together, and met just after getting off the train. It's nice to know that they haven't had any injuries or problems and it's also nice to know they aren't days ahead of me at this point. They give me hugs and ask all the kind, caring pilgrim questions about feet, blisters & rashes. I tell them how good it is to see someone that I started with and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

Day 19 ~ Castrojeriz to Boadillo

(Monday, May 20th)

After waking several times in the night, I wake and surprisingly feel well rested. My left foot, which was quite swollen when I went to bed, seems to be much happier now.

I open my beautiful little window and see that the sky is clear and the sun is shining. I make a mental note to make sure that I put my rain-cover on anyhow. Same theory as going for a walk without your umbrella, it's just asking for trouble!

After quickly packing my things, I pop into the bar to pay my bill and get a quick breakfast. As I sit there, alone in the bar, eating my pastry, I notice the bar tender prepare a cafe con leche and warm a Neapolitana and place it on the bar. I look at the clock and its 7:58am. Within seconds a policeman comes in and without saying anything, quickly eats his breakfast and then heads out of the door without paying. Pretty nice life this guy must have!

As I walk through town I think to myself to be on the lookout for a bank. I have only 8 euros left and am not sure if there will be banks in the small towns coming up. The sun is shining and I am enjoying hearing the birds sing while taking photos of all the beautiful things I see as I go. Before I know it I have left the town and notice that I am walking through a valley with beautiful flat topped mountains around on all sides. The sky is bright blue with puffy white clouds slowly blowing across and forming different shapes as they go. I can see for miles ahead and can clearly make out the Camino snaking through the valley and then up the side of the steepest flat topped mountain. As pretty as it is, it's not a good feeling to be tormented for miles by a huge hill with tiny little any like figures crawling their way up. Soon enough I am at the top looking back over the valley and can see most of the distance that I've covered in the past two days.

The walking, after the big hill, is easy in the beautiful weather and only 20k today which feels like nothing in the end. Everyone is cheerful and chatty as they walk since the sun is shining.

Along the way I met an American named Cheri, who is a yoga instructor in San Antonio, and we chatted for a brief time before parting and wishing each other well. I also met two older Italian men walking together, one quiet and fairly shy, the other named Malio, who is not. I saw them several times at different points today. Malio is from Rome and has two grown daughters who also live there but not with him, he has two blisters on his right foot, and just like me, he has a strange rash on his ankles and all his laundry is dirty.

As I come into Boadillo it dawns on me that I never stopped for cash. This means that I have about 8 euro to my name and the albergues do not take credit cards. I keep my eyes open for a bank as I walk through the tiny town but there is none. When I get to the albergue I see that the price for a bed & shower is 6 euro, but laundry, dinner, & breakfast are more. I ask the man registering me if there is a bank anywhere and he says not until Fromista 10k away. "But" he says, "No problem! You have whatever you want and need while you here, then Edwardo make a bill for you with special envelope, and then you pay he friend at bar in Fromista."
"Ummm, seriously?" His reply, "Yes, yes, you see, no problem!" And then the biggest smile ever.

So by this time Cheri & my Italian friends have shown up and as I tell them, I still am not really believing it myself. After my shower, I put on my lovely sundress and sit shivering in the common area next to Malio who is wearing next to nothing as well. We make idol chat, compare funky ankle rashes and our various tubes of cream while we wait for our laundry to be returned to us. When we get our baskets full of warm clothes fresh out of the dryer, we both immediately put every single item on. This is to get warm and also a much easier way to carry it all back to the building we are sleeping in. I find it pretty funny that we have picked up this same weird habit. He does as well. I think our friendship is now sealed.

On a very bizarre and uncanny note, it turns out that Cheri knows my Canadian stairwell friend pretty well. She shared a separate story with me about him and the difficult position he's found himself in with a Camino friend. It seems that he's been walking with someone who is dealing with a horrible divorce and Cheri feels like he's a really good guy who may have been reaching out for a reprieve from his walking partner. So, now I'm forced to see things from a different perspective (Gosh, I just hate it when this happens!) just like I was feeling so desperate to be away from everyone, he probably just needed a bit of a break from his daytime walking partner who is struggling with a lot of anger. All he may have needed was a few minutes alone, or else a few kind or positive words from someone & I was really quite awful to him. I'm feeling pretty bad about the way I spoke to him that night and I'm hoping that at some point I will see him again & have the opportunity to apologize. Cheri also shared with me that he split with his Camino friend a few days ago & is now walking alone. I'm hoping I get the opportunity to make amends.

Dinner at the albergue is just amazing. We have garlic soup and/or chickpea soup (which I mixed together in my bowl!) then a huge salad with choice of chicken, trout, or beef and then flan for dessert. I have the chicken and it is, no kidding, the very best chicken I've ever had. Slow cooked with garlic & onion. It's simple and so delicious. Life is good.

After dinner I met another American, Annette, from Stevenson, Washington. She is calm and soothing and I feel like I've always known her. I also see the two beautiful Canadian boys that I left Jenny with in Burgos. One of them, Josh, says that he spent the day in Burgos with Jenny, Fabby, & Benedict, and that Jenny missed me and told him so many stories that he felt like he knew me already. This makes me smile. I've missed her company so much, but I am very glad to hear that she met up with Fabby and Benedict but still no news on Marek who got sick & stayed behind in Beldorado.

As I drift off to sleep I can't help but think that I'm only 6 days away from Leon. I am booked at the Parador, but this time I am feeling confident and strong about the remaining distance. It will be my second nice hotel stay and I will be well over halfway to Santiago by then. My plan is to arrive early afternoon on the 25th and stay one night in the albergue before checking into the Parador on the 26th. This should allow plenty of time for sightseeing and relaxing. I feel like I'm actually ready to let myself relax this time!