Sunday, October 17, 2010

Day 31


Sunday October 17, 2010
Day 31 on the Camino de Santiago
Barbadello to Portomarin
Dear Blog Readers,

Today is the birthday of my brother Talim (Sam) and brother-in-law, Tom.  Happy Birthday to both of you!

I´m a little euphoric from my lovely stay with the sisters last night. It is not a very long day today so sleep-in to 8 a.m. and down for breakfast by 8:30 a.m. Teresa points to the sunrise and the mountain top far away on the other side of the valley - El O´Cebreiro she says - what?  That was where we crossed into Galicia two days ago?   I´ll never be afraid to climb a mountain again - I stand outside in the chilly morning watching the sunrise with my mouth hanging open. I´ve done things I never thought to do in this lifetime!
Breakfast is not the usual with Teresa in the kitchen - today it is homemade marmalade - salami, rye bread and a yellow spongy cake, which I think is the Galicia cake - the Santiago cake is an Almond cake, which I have not had yet.  Leave around 9 a.m. with lots of hugs and thank yous.  I think my friend Roberta would love these sisters and their Casa Rural - I think Roberta and her experience as a chef, would do a grand job with a B & B.  She could entertain and cook like the sisters!!
Well, what´s new?  The guide books have not given true accounts of the Camino - today is not different.  We have lots of ups and downs mountains and valleys.  Love these giant chestnut forests and this morning more giant oak forests - I´m understanding more and more why the locals talk about elves etc.  Hurray - at 10:30 a.m. we cross the 100 kms left to Santiago marker - stop to take a photo.  See the wonderful Jamie, from Vancouver, still collecting garbage along the Camino.  Take her photo for my collection.  The pilgrims have been told that from marker 100 kms we will see more pilgrims on the trail - this is beginning to come true - today for the first time we see many pilgrims we’ve not see before - including two Spanish families with small children.  As it is a holy year for the Camino, by walking this year, Spaniards are taking the opportunity to walk to have their sins forgiven.
Arrive in Portomarin by 2:30 p.m. - trek only 17 kms today.  About 5 days to go to Santiago.  It will be a little longer trek tomorrow.   
Blessings from the Camino,
Yasmin
My personal thoughts for today - Cannot believe I´ve walked almost all the way across the northern part of Spain - about 699 kms. in 31 days - I gave myself 40 days to trek the 788 kms. I maybe able to finish before day 40.  So far, I´ve only taken 3 rest days.

2 comments:

  1. Just a thought regarding your dreams, maybe you are missing Eben?

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  2. Hi Yasmin,great to hear that everything WAS O.K.!
    A bit late, but here it comes: as I'm living in Spain, you CAN definitely enter your blog the same way I do, on clicking onto this site: www.trekkingwithyasmin.blogspot.com
    Did I tell you that the Pope is due to be in Santiago on 6NOV?
    PLEASE DO BOOK very much BEFOREHAND,if you want to stay until 6NOV in Santiago, as -since JAN- there is almost no free place left in Santiago.
    God bless you, you've done an enormous achievement!!
    And, you've found out the same as me: the guide-books don't tell the truth about the constant up 'n downs of Galician hills.
    The Galician ancestors were the Celts, hence the celtic music all over the place.
    From SARRIA on (the last 100 km), it's a different Camino, as a myriad of people crowd it.If they comply with these 100km they ALSO get their COMPOSTELA, the same as you... Your previous bookings should also be 3 or 4 days ahead from now on, as there are much more people now on the Camino than before and it will be more difficult to fimd a place from now on. BUT: I don't know the way you tackle your booking, so this is only a hint.
    BUEN CAMINO TILL THE END!!
    Ursula

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