21 Oct. Fonfria to Triacastela. 12.1 km We share the path with many of Gods creatures. These days we have been cognizant of the humble cow. The music of their bells accompanies us through the hills. The joy of watching the calves with their mothers give us great delight. Because of the generosity of their bodies, we have found a delightful snack of soft fresh cows milk cheese smothered in honey and slathered on bread. But probably nothing causes us to ponder the cow more than our new favorite game of "Dodge the cow pie." Barns are not separate edifices out in the fields in this part of the world. Barns are to be found in the lower part of the house in the village. Thus, in the morning the cows are herded down the same path that pilgrims follow out into their fields to reverse the process in the evening when they are brought home for milking. And so at times we must choose between rocks, mud or manure. It makes for interesting walking. We are fully...
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29 Oct. Arzua to A Rua. 16.8 km It occurred to me yesterday by my lack of photographs, that I have begun to take the beauty of this place for granted. Just like day after day I wearied of the brown meseta, The beauty of Galicia has begun to seem so familiar as not to warrant a second glance. I wonder how often we do that in everyday life—so take for granted the beauty around us that we do not notice it. So today I did my best to see this place for all the wonder it possesses. The landscape is gradually changing, giving way to woods. We walked through beautifully scented eucalyptus groves dappled with sunlight. The music of the cowbells and the crowding of roosters added today the grunting of pigs. It was like the children’s song, “All God’s Critters got a Place in the Choir.” There was also the added tapping of more trekking poles as the number of pilgrims has increased. One pilgrim was definitely marching to the tune of his own drummer as he punctuated his steps w...
1 Nov. Finesterre and Muxia We played tourist today, catching a bus with a guide and 9 other wonderful folks to visit the other endings to the Camino. Our guide was fantastic as he told us legends about rocks and giants, Madonnas and St. James.. We heard the three steps to the conclusion of the Camino- confession, worship and the burning of the clothing as they watched the sun go down on one season of their lives and rise the next morning for a new beginning. Galicia is beautiful. One side of the bus faced a granite mountain and the other magnificent coastline. It was just gorgeous despite the clouds, wind and rain. Long considered the Coast of Death, it earned its reputation in the Middle Ages. Our final destination was Muxia which has roots in a Celtic pilgrimage, although our guide did not mention that. It’s claim to fame on the Camino is as the site of a vision of the Virgin Mary commending St. James for the good job he had done and sending him home. All t...
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