Hello All!
Day 21: Salamenca (HALF WAY TO SANTIAGO!!!)
Not much time to write today...so quick and dirty it is!
As you know, Bea has left us to travel further north. On the same day, Juan and I chose to walk 34kms while Peter opted for a shorter journey, so now it is just Juan and me. It´s all good, we make a very good dyad. We travel mostly in silence, which suits me just fine, and at an incredible pace. Truly, I can´t believe how quickly we get around. We are often the first peregrinos to reach the albergue each day now, but it´s not like it´s a race for us. This is just our natural pace. I tried walking with Peter for a couple of hours one day and, now that I am well, found it more exhausting to walk slowly. My hips hurt afterward...I have heard other pilgrims say that they, too, have to walk their natural tempo, else it causes them to become tired more quickly and it´s true. So, Juan and I keep a steady, quick pace that works for us and at the end of the day we pat each other on the back and give thanks for another beautiful day. No matter how quickly we travel, though, my eyes are constantly roaming the countryside and my camera is within easy reach. I always, always make time for picture taking and soaking in the beauty around me. The wild flowers are exploding in the bright green fields. The sky has been blue and cloudless, now, for three days. Life couldn´t be better. It has been beautiful!
Walking north in Spain is like moving north in Ontario...the further north you go, the cooler it gets. Yes, it reached 30C here in Salamenca today, but the mornings have been very cool, only 9 or 10C and it's very comfortable for walking as the day warms up. I am thankful I held on to my coat, as I was prepared to mail it ahead, but I´ve been warned that it may get cooler yet the further north we go. So, I carry it with me still.
Good news! Juan has decided to travel with me as far as Ourense! Originally his plan was to walk to Astorga, then head home. But, with some persuasion from me, he has changed his mind. He has only until May 31st in this part of his country, so, in order to make it to Ourense on time, we have decided to take the bus to Zamora tomorrow and skip two long, and I´m told monotonous, days of walking there (38kms x2). Therefore, we will continue to walk together for the next 12 days. Blessings, Spirit! This is good news for me in other ways, too. It means that, once I reach Santiago de Compostela, I will be able to continue west for another 3 days to visit the coast in Finesterre, then a fourth day to Muxia. Finesterre was once considered the edge of the world, to the Spanish, and, the sunsets are supposed to be breathtaking. I am thankful for this opportunity. I will still have time, after that even, to return to Salamenca to visit Beatrice for the weekend or else visit Barcelona for a couple days (I've not yet decided) before heading to Paris. The Universe is, indeed, conspiring on my behalf!
So that´s it for now. I´ve got to run, er, walk fast!
I hope this finds you all well! Loving you so, very, very much...
Kim
