Laguna de Castilla to Triacastela

Shannon, Colby, and Talis

Written on June 19, 2009.....13.6 miles.

Last night as we were getting ready for bed we heard bells right under our window...beautiful cows being herded down the road. Shortly after that more bells and now a herd of sheep are walking by. Right after dinner Vern and I were sitting in front of the Hostal where we were staying, talking with two women from Germany. A dog walked to the back of my chair and started to lift his leg. I saw him out of the corner of my eye and jumped with the chair...moved just in time to avoid getting wet. Another opportunity for a good laugh.

We left Laguna de Castilla and....yes! walked up and up again for at least an hour until we reached O´Cebreiro. O´Cebreiro is the first village in the Providence of Galicia. Galicia is the providence that Santiago is in.

As we reached O´Cebreiro the scene was magical. Large straw roof pallozas, a ninth century church and in the valley below a blanket of fog. The feeling of peace was so overwhelming that I needed to sit and be in this beautiful place without thought or movement.

We continued along and enjoyed the beautiful views and nice dirt path. After awhile we stopped again at a bar and out of the bathroom, here comes Lisa! We had stayed in different villages and now meet again. We walked along through village after village. In one of the villages we passed a stone cutter in the road, cutting stone for a walkway.

The weather was cooler today and more downhill than in recent days. Somewhere before Triacastela I was being passed on the right by a Pilgrim...as I turned my head to greet them with ¨Buen Camino¨, I recognized Colby....I yelled....so surprised to see them. Shannon was with him and also Talis who we had not met before. Talis thought I was yelling about a snake or some danger. We soon had a good laugh, thoroughly happy to see each other. We had not seen Colby and Shannon since Terradillos de los Templarios about twelve days before. Colby and Shannon met Talis coming in from the U.K. in Leon. We all walked along heading to Triacastela talking about where we´ve been and what we have seen. Vern and I are excited to be with our friends and that we all have healthy feet and bodies.

Minute by minute surrender takes the place of expectations. As I put one foot in front of the other I know that all is as it should be and I am blessed with all that I need and with company of fellow pilgrims that I love to be with.

We all had a wonderful meal together...Lisa, Colby, Shannon, Talis, Vern and I . We enjoyed the high quality of the food and the warmth of being with people that have a connection that can hardly be described, let along be understood.

After we all said our Buen Caminos Lisa, Vern and I walked to a nearby chapel.

The Priest rushed right up to Vern and spoke in Spanish very quickly...I said, No entiendo, hablo ingles, he quickly left to the back and returned with his spiritual perception of the Camino in English. It is so moving and wonderful that I will take it with me and contemplate the message.

Today we have a real treat at our hostal....our own clothesline on our own enclosed porch! Life is good.