Day 36 – Portomarin to Palas De Rei

June 11th – I walk back across the bridge over the rio Torres and reservoir that brought me to Portomarin.  The path quickly turns off the road onto a dense woodland path.  Low clouds form a mist that makes me feel I am in the cacoon of the Camino.

The morning warms quickly especially as the path leaves the shadow of the trees and I stop to remove my coat.   My hand brushes against my hair and I am surprised that it is dripping wet.  ‘Baptized by the Camino’ was the thought that flew into my head.

The Camino is magical.

I opened my ears four weeks ago and asked the Camino to speak to and guide me.  What I have heard is:  stay open to the being of my life – feel more joy, let the superficial drop away and embrace those things not yet tried: paint, learn a foreign language, be open to receive,  see the beauty in every day and practice acceptance for whatever the path presents.  As these last few days bring my physical walking to an end I pray that my inner journey continues long after I return home.

Ventas de Naron is just before my high point today, Sierra Ligonde.  There is a very small chapel here, Capela de Magdalene, where a man welcomes me and calls me forward to have my passport stamped.  He takes my hand in his and we stamp it together as I realize he is blind yet he ‘saw’ me enter.

I stopped at Casa Garcia, Gonzar for coffee and again later at a small Albergue at Ligonde when Kelly from Texas called me in.  Her church group is working with a beautiful little Albergue here and she offered free water, coffee and clean bathrooms, the later being something I could not pass by! It was a lovely little oasis just a little halfway to my destination of the day.

Blue skies and lovely farmland prevail through the day and when I came across these sleeping pigs I thought how nice a short nap would be when I arrive at my destination with 16 miles walked for the day.