Monthly Archives: September 2019

The “pilgrimage” that is the Camino de Santiago is not to the town itself, or even the Cathedral, but to the tomb of St. James. 

Lee and I got up early again, around 5:30 in the morning, and were looking to creep away from the casa rural in the still dark. The front door was locked, from within, and it took us awhile to figure … Continue reading →

I was committed. By changing our reservations in Santiago, I had to complete the final 54 km in just two more days.  Lee and I got up early.  My goal was to get to Santa Irene by the end of … Continue reading →

I left the hotel at 5:45 a.m.   It would be another two hours before breakfast would be served.  In the lobby, however, wonder of wonders was a coffee vending machine.  These are the little things that make one’s day.  I … Continue reading →

I left Sarria in the dark of early morning again.  The Germans with whom we shared early breakfast in Tricastela where just outside the hotel as well, and they laughed when they saw me heading out. 

I left O’Cebreiro in the early morning light.  There was a fine mist laying over the mountains, giving the place an peaceful if not eerie atmosphere.

The next morning I left early, around 5:30 a.m., foregoing the hotel’s elaborate breakfast, which wasn’t open until 7:30 a.m.   It was dark but I had a flashlight.  There was also a full moon and plenty of street lights  as … Continue reading →

El Acebo was not a common stop – most pilgrims keep going to Molinaseca or even Ponferrada for the night.  After the harrowing descent down that rocky trail, I was glad that we had planned to stay there for the … Continue reading →

The next day’s destination was Rabinal del Camino. The walk was somewhat longer than what I had done in each of the first three days, and more challenging, with a slow climb of more than 1,300 feet.