It felt odd waking up after 0700 this morning and then not stepping onto the Camino today.
I found myself feeling guilty for not walking today. Not "guilty" for any other reason but that I have come to feel like the Camino is my only consistent friend in Spain. It felt like I was leaving my trusted companion behind. Once I boarded the train for Sarria this afternoon, I watched out the window at the Spanish landscape to try to catch a glimpse of where the Camino might appear along the route. I never saw any yellow arrows, signs, or seashells.
At about 2100 hrs I rolled into Sarria on the train. I was the only one to get off the train here. Sarria is in the Spanish province of Galicia. The train brought me through the mountains of Leon that separate the dry, flat plateau of Castilla y Leon from the green and lush hills of the Celtic-influenced Galicia. Galicia is alot like the Pacific Northwest U.S. with its wetness, hills, greenery, and seafood specialties. In fact, I had the absolute best Salmon tonight at dinner that I have ever eaten! Thank you Restaurante Roma!
I will return to the Camino tomorrow. I am roughly 120K outside of Santiago. Due to the reduced distance, I will be able to limit my daily distances to between 13-18K each day and be to Santiago on 3/4/11 in hopes my swelling shin splints don't turn into stress fractures and the blisters will heal. This will also allow for me to be able to attend the pilgrim's mass at noon on 3/5/11 where my name, country, and city of Camino origin will be announced as having completed the journey. I will use my other free day to take a bus to Finisterra to witness the area once believed to be the location of the "end of the world".
Photos are of Leon near Calle Anche by the Cathedral Plaza.
1 comment:
An adventure would not be an adventure without a train ride in the countryside in a foreign country. So says Chris. Me, I say thank goodness the shin splints got a little rest. Hang in there. Luv, Deb and Chris
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