The Dunars on the Camino

Hey all! Kate here. I am finally writing about our entry and stay in Santiago.

Yesterday was realllllllllly hot. We walked about 22km into the city. We arrived at 1pm through the city and some people even cheered for us and wished us congratulations! We entered in to the main plaza by the cathedral and took in our accomplishment. It felt surreal to be done.

mmm 

Then we went to our alburgue. We got a nice private room for our time here at a building next to a seminary. It felt appropriate for us.

We took a long sista, showered, and went to mass at the cathedral. We got into town too late for the daily pilgrim’s mass at noon but this was a nice simple service at 6pm. It is tradition to go hug the statue of Saint James. We did that and then went to confession. That was a first for me but I found it very powerful.

We then went to the pilgrim’s office and got our compostela. This is a certificate that we indeed did walk the camino. We had to show our credential that had all the stamps we accumulated over the month to prove that we walked. We then ran into our Camino friend Jesús. He is a wonderful, Spanish older gentleman who we have walked with for the past few days. We bonded over religion and our faith. He asked us to meet him at 11:30am the next day for something before the pilgrim’s mass but we didn’t understand what. 

Today we got up and had a breakfast of hot chocolate and churros! Edward has wanted this the whole camino and now I know why. Hot chocolate here is thick, rich, and a million times better than the stuff in the USA. Dip a churro in that….. yum!

We then did a little shopping and went to find Jesús. We found out that he was reading for the mass and wanted us to sit with him in the front of the church right by the altar!!! There were ar least 1,000 people there and we were in front! It was an honor, a gift, and a holy moment for us. The service was beautiful and then, because a group had donated money for it, the thurable swung. This is no ordinary thurable. It hangs from the ceiling and is about 4 feet tall. It takes around 6 men to pull a rope and, when lit, it swings the whole width of the cathedral. It was breathtaking to be so close to it and see the incense fill the space. I was so moved I started to cry. A wonderful nun saw me, kissed my forehead and prayed with me. We then, moved beyond words, went to eat with Jesús to say thank you to our friend.

 

Later in the day we met up with Jesús for a beer and said our goodbys. We then ran into other friends we made walking amd got to say adios to them. It was the perfect way to end our day.

This trip has been beyond amazing. God has,shpwn up in so many direct and indirect ways. I have cried in pain and wept tears of gratitude. I will never forget this month.

Tomorrow, back to the USA. 

We reached Santiago today! We’ll post more about our last two days tomorrow. It’s a thrill to be reach our goal.

Hey all. Kate here. As I write this we are 40km out from Santiago. Today we are staying is Aruza which is where the Camino del Norte meets with the Camino Frances. That means a lot more pilgrims in one space. 

In some ways I am not ready for the camino to be done. My feel FINALLY feel amazing. I can walk fast for long distances and I don’t have to stop to catch my breath on big hills. I feel strong and love to walk. 

On the other hand I am ready to go home. It has been a long trip and I yearn for my own bed and a day to just relax. 

Yesterday I took tome to process my feelings at one of the most amazing places I have ever seen. We stayed in Sobrado dos Moxes at the monastery Cistercian Order of the Close Observance (OCSO). . Part of this place was built in 952! Over the years parts were added but for around 200 years the land was seized from the monks and was left in disrepair. The monks now are trying to fix it up but, as you can see, the place is huge.

We stayed in the Pilgrim’s cloister and went to Vespers and Compline with the brothers. It was an amazing experience to be in such an old and sacred place. I know I will pray and give thanks in Santiago for this pilgimage but this felt like a time I could do so in a more quiet and intimate way. 

Tomorrow we walk on 20km more. One day closer to the goal.

Edward here! Today, we officially passed the 100km mark, which is a significant point on the journey because it represents the minimum that pilgrims must walk to earn their certificate. The character of the Camino changes here, too, as the trail becomes busier, accumulating newcomers and gradually converging with other routes as we approach Santiago.

We wanted to find a proper signpost to mark this important threshold, but this is the best we could come up with:

The signposts in Galicia are oddly specific. Surely they could have placed this one six meters earlier to give us the satisfaction of a round 100km. But who are we to question the Camino?

Today was filled with various highlights. In the first fifteen minutes, we found a beautiful Marian shrine carved into the inside of a 700-year-old tree.

The morning’s walk was through an enchanting green forest blanketed with fog. 

We had breakfast in a rural cafe where we chatted with fellow pilgrims who we met last night. As the fog gave way to sun, we passed a sculptor’s studio. 

The artist gave us a stamp in our credential book using burning wax. Pictured below is a page from my credential book, which gives us access to alburgues and verifies that we have walked the Camino when we finally seek our certificate. It also serves as a nice keepsake, a record of where we have stayed and what we have seen.

Our end point is an alburgue run by British alumni of the Camino. The volunteers welcomed us with afternoon tea. We are now resting and gearing up for a longer walk tomorrow, which will end at an alburgue connected to a Trappist monastery known for its delicious fudge. This last stretch of the Camino is certainly granting its share of delights!

(Edward) 

Today, we took a shorter day. During our manageable and painless 14km, we still encountered beautiful sights and wildlife.

We stopped in Vilalba to stay at a beautiful alburgue that opened only 2 months ago.
During this last week, we are extending our spiritual practices as we prepare for the end of our pilgrimage. The last time I walked the Camino (just the last 100km of the Frances) was about ten years ago, so I decided, during the last ten days of my walk this time around, to carry out an examen of one of those years each day. Walking through the past ten years day by day has been a powerful experience. So far, it has both called my attention to the many blessings in my life and illuminated those areas I need to work on to be a better disciple of Jesus.

We’re back to a regular pace tomorrow, when we reach the final 100km mark!

(Edward here!) Some of the most interesting people we have met on the Camino have been the hosts of alburgues and houses of hospitality. Many of them got their start after walking the path themselves. Four of their stories stand out to me because they are remarkably similar while expressing different approaches toward faith and life.

Ernesto is a retired priest whose work among the shepherd villages in the Picos de Europa inspired him to travel the world learning about the distinctive spirituality of poor agricultural communities. He decided to purchase the abandoned lifelong home of his grandparents in Guemes and transform it into a pilgrim’s alburgue, which is now one of the most beloved stops on the Northern Way. For every group that passes through, he recounts the story of his journey and urges his guests to approach the Camino as a chance to experience an alternative way of life of solidarity and relationality.

José does not consider himself to be a religious person, but he is energized by serving others. He once left a high-paying job in finance to work with elders in a nursing home so that he could spend more of his time making others’ lives better. While walking the Camino, he realized that the most satisfying part of the experience was helping other pilgrims– aiding them with the language, sharing medical supplies, giving encouragement. He decided to establish a donations-only alburgue near Aviles that would welcome all pilgrims regardless of nationality, religious affiliation, or ability to pay. Noticing that his town’s church had an attached rectory that had sat empty for years, he offered to rent and restore it. He now works every day at his alburgue, never taking a day off because he feels nourished by the work.

His wife, Terín, was skeptical of the project at first, but quickly realized its significance. She began to see her work at the alburgue as an expression of her Catholic faith. While telling me about her sense of mission, she said to me, “Here in Spain, we have an expression: wherever God plants you, blossom! There is work to do in every place and every season. Wherever you are, there is a call.”

Last night, Kate and I stayed at the home of Karmela, a painter who opens her studio to six pilgrims each night. Karmela was inspired to such hospitality by her own walk on the Camino Frances, as well as a deep desire to live more in harmony with nature (needless to say, she is a big fan of Thoreau) and in line with her political ideals. Yesterday, Kate and I were her only guests, so we stayed up late drinking cider and discussing spirituality, art, anthropology, and the joys and challenges of maintaining an open house on the Camino. The house reflected Karmela’s artistic talent. Her paintings of the Camino hung on the walls, and each room offered a surprise (for example, the shower was designed to look like the prehistoric cave paintings in Ribadello!)

These hosts hold different religious positions and beliefs, but they all share a common pattern: the experience of active service and love for others on the Camino led to an embrace of a radical way of life of hospitality and integrity. As Kate and I pursue our own vocations going forward, we will treasure these examples and conversations.

Looking ahead, we have several lighter days as we approach the 100km mark. A week from today, we will be celebrating the end of our journey in Santiago de Compostela.

Kate here! We have offically been doing this camino thing for 21 days and we have 8 days left to walk. It feels weird to think of not getting up early and walking for 6 to 8 hours a day. It will be a welcomed change, though. I love the camino but it is not an easy way to live.

Yesterday we walked 21km to Ribadeo. This signaled our last day walking on the coast. We had lunch on the beach and watched a guy catch an octopus! 

We also passed from the region of Asturias to Galicia. Each region in Spain has its own culture and sometimes its own language. I am excited to see what Galicia has to offer.

Today we walked 27km to Lourenzá. We hiked up a big ol’ mountain today but there is an even bigger one tomorrow.

The towns we are going through for the next few days are much smaller so we need to make sure to bring food with us just in case.

Overall, I feel good. My body can do this. The camino has turned into a mental game now. Every morning I wake up and think “can I do this again?”. The answer sometimes is not very cheery but it is always yes. Here is to 8 more days of yes.

Hey all, Kate here. Tonight we are in La Caridad at a nice alburugue after walking 31km from Luarca. 

Luarca was an amazing city at the mouth of a river to the ocean. We got a wonderful double room and then went to the beach. We had a nice meal and Edward ate squid!

Today was a long but a relatively flat walk. It was sunny which was great because some of the trails are drying out. Many of the trails yesterday were just mud holes. 

La Caridad is a small town away from the coast. Tomorrow is our last day on the coast. After that we turn inland toward Santiago. We calculate we have about 10 more days of walking. 

After our string of 30km days, we now have space to take our time a bit more. Our itinerary includes a couple of longer days, but for the most part we will be able to move at a steady pace of about 21km each day.

The route over the past two days covers more forests and parklands across the mountains. We have been treated to some stunning views and pleasant trails.

Hola amigos! Kate here. Today we bid farewell to Gijón which was really sad. It was an amazing city and a wonderful place to spend our anniversary. Last night we went to Mass and then watched 20 hot air baloons take off! Then we ate some tapas, drank some wine, and watched the sunset from out hotel room. It was a perfect evening.

Today, though, was not perfect. It was rainny and cold. The walk out of Gijón is full of busy roads and views of factories. Combine that with the rain and it would have been a mess. We decided to hop a bus and take it to the next town over called Avelés. We got wet walking 8k to our alburge but it was worth it. The place we are staying in is the old rectory of Iglesia de San Martín de Laspra. It is run by José who did our laundry, cooked us an amazing meal, and told us wonderful stories. It is only us and one other pilgrim here so it has been a quiet and restful evening. We even went to Mass again at the church for Pentecost.

Tomorrow we walk on but tonight we rest.