Oct. 17- Palas de Rey: 16 miles, six hours

The path is nothing but mud and it’s drizzling. I’m sweating in my rain jacket and trudging along. A fellow pilgrim, a lovely older woman traveling alone catches up to me and with a sparkle in her eyes, says “What a beautiful morning! I love the mist. It changes the entire perspective of the landscape.” As I’m listening to her, I unzip my jacket, pull down my hood and the light drizzle instantly cools me off. By the time she goes on her way, I’m feeling great and the rain has already stopped.

We’re up and down again, walking right through farms and past lovely old stone farm houses, catching a glimpse of daily life: an old woman humming to herself as she hangs laundry; a farmer out in the pasture tending his sheep; a woman picking raspberries who stops to offer us some; the cows lazily grazing in the fields; the dogs sleeping in the sun. I find I have acquired a new skill and though it may not be resumé material, it’s interesting to note: I am now able to differentiate an animal’s manure by its smell.

I laugh to myself as I coin a new phrase: “In Spain, what goes up, must come UP”! Walking in the forest always seems a bit mystical, especially the way the light plays on and around the trees, lined up in exact rows. The scent of the eucalyptus trees is even stronger when we crush some leaves in our hands.

The outside tables are still wet in the little taverna when we stop for a cold drink. A fellow pilgrim is wiping off his table with a rag from the owner and when he sees us, he wipes off ours too. I pass on the kindness by wiping the table for some other pilgrims that sit at the next table. It’s a small gesture, but speaks to the feeling of community.

The Pensión Palas is simple, modern and clean, but the town seems old and rundown. The big excitement of the evening is that I am served rice with my dinner, rather than the ever-present french fries.

Oct. 18- Castañeda: 13 and one-half miles, six and one-half hours

The temperature is in the high 60s and cloudy; perfect walking weather. We’re up and down, through forests, farmlands and towns. It seems it will be a fairly uneventful day until we come to a river. The bridge is made up of boulders covered in mud. I take a minute to access the route and see I have no choice. I feel more confident with my poles, until I realize that the last two boulders narrow and the poles won’t fit. I panic for a second, but tell myself I have to keep moving forward; other pilgrims are behind me and there’s nowhere else to go. It takes all I’ve got in me to slowly make my way to the end. I’m amazed at my newfound grit and it gives me a spring in my step.

Casa Garea, our Casa Rural for the evening, is located at the beginning of town on the main road. The shoulder is narrow on the road and the cars are zooming by at breakneck speeds. Our only option is to walk through a big field. Our boots are sinking into the fresh dirt, making the walking more difficult. On arrival, the owner greets us and asks if we enjoyed the walk through the forest. We realize that we were too quick to get off the pilgrim path; a few kilometers ahead there was a sign that would have led us right to our destination. Lesson learned: always refer to our map.me app. (which requires no internet connection), especially when tired.

The room is cozy with wooden beams on the ceiling and white, starched linen curtains on the windows. After we freshen up, the owner brings in some wood for the fireplace and we sit in the downstairs sitting room with a glass of wine and relax. It’s not that cold out, but the warmth of the fire feels good. We make sure not to fall asleep and miss dinner.

Oct. 19- Pedrouzo: 16 miles, 6 and one-half hours

I spend my morning saying a prayer for each of the pilgrims that we pass that are not well but keep plodding along: five limping; three with food poisoning; and one with an intestinal virus. I am humbled by their strength and determination and feel a bit guilty that I have made it to this point unscathed; me, with the weak stomach, who always thought of myself as clumsy. I want to hug them and tell them how much I admire them, but each of them seems to be in a type of meditative state, some even wincing with every step. “Buen Camino,” the usual greeting, does not seem appropriate. All I can think of is to give them a thumbs-up as I pass them by.

Pensión LO is brand-new, all white and very modern, but the room has one design flaw: there are no shelves or closets! We balance what we’ll need for the evening on our backpacks and hope for the best. There’s lots of traffic in this town, but it looks a bit old and bleak, so we head back to the Camino path to find a restaurant for dinner. After some hugs and catching up, a friend we run into suggests the place she’d just dined at. It’s very contemporary, with a wooden communal table in the middle and shelves lined with gourmet foods; it looks so out of place. The food is good and the service is slow, but the wine is served right away and we are entertained by a mother and her 15-year old precocious son from Finland traveling the Camino together.

Oct. 20- Santiago: 13 miles, five hours

It feels like Christmas morning! We’re up early and excited to get going, but the sun has yet to rise. It’s still dark when we head out, but we only need the flashlight for a few minutes. The path takes us through some suburban towns, past the airport and alongside some roads, with just enough inclines and descents to make us realize that just because it’s our last day of walking does not mean it will be an easy one.

All that’s separating us from entering Santiago is a bridge. As we draw closer, we notice that it’s an old, depilated, wooden bridge with missing, uneven slats. The guard rails are unusually low, so as the traffic speeds by both beside us and below us, it gives us the sensation of Vertigo. We try to focus on walking exactly down the middle, keep our heads down and watch every step we take as quickly as we can.

We’re standing in front of the Santiago city sign, but after what it took to get here, it seems like a bit of a lackluster greeting. Besides the sign to welcome us, there is a gas station and a row of restaurants. It takes another hour to get to the old section of the city. Just when we feel our energy waning, some local residents assure us we are almost there and give us a thumbs-up.

As we approach, we hear the faint sound of bagpipes. There’s a musician dressed in a cloak and a feathered hat playing in the tunnel. As we exit the tunnel, the Cathedral comes into full view, sparkling in the sunlight. Now that’s the dramatic welcome we were hoping for!

We hug longer than usual and both get teary eyed. Amongst the tourists who quite don’t know what to make of this, the Plaza de Obradoiro (known as the “golden square”) is full of pilgrims hugging, chatting, taking group photos, sitting cross legged in groups or just laying down on the ground in the sun around the Cathedral.

It’s time for lunch and we agree that some wine might be necessary to celebrate and to help us to sort out our emotions. We’re so grateful for a safe journey and not sure how we feel. Are we elated to have arrived or melancholy that it’s over?

We’re splurging and staying at the Hostal de los Reyes Católicos, the famous five star parador (see photo at top of page). Paradores are a hotel network of government owned, restored historical buildings throughout Spain. This massive structure was originally a hospital built in 1499 by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand (hence, the hotel’s name) and is said to be the oldest hotel in Europe. We explore every corner of the four courtyards, the church and the sitting areas. We read every historical sign that tells the story of each area and makes it come to life.  Our room is a lovely retreat with a feeling of Old World Spain that looks out onto one of the courtyards.

Santiago is a vibrant city with a bit of a carnival atmosphere, due in part to the large number of pilgrims descending on it each day. Streets filled with shops, restaurants and outdoor cafes twist and turn into narrow passageways that open to small plazas.

We had befriended a pilgrim couple early on in the walk and talked of sharing a celebratory dinner in Santiago in the hotel dining room. With the reservation now made, we now realize that our pilgrim clothes might not be suitable and some shopping might be in order. We laugh and wonder if we will recognize each other, all cleaned up. As we head back to the hotel, we join a group of fellow pilgrims for a celebratory drink. It’s a lovely evening enhanced by the gourmet dinner and the wonderful company. We end the evening with a toast to the continuance of our newfound friendship.

Oct. 21: Santiago

All Camino routes end at Santiago’s Cathedral where Saint James, the patron Saint of Spain, is buried. We head to the Cathedral early in order to get a seat for the noon Pilgrims’ Mass, a pilgrim tradition. We are disappointed that we are no longer able to place our hand on the column in the inner portico as a mark of gratitude for a safe arrival. After millions of pilgrims wore finger holes in the solid marble over time, the area is now covered by a protective barrier. The highlight of the Mass is the swinging of the Botafumeiro, a giant incense burner (featured in the movie “The Way”). It was originally used to fumigate the dirty and disease-ridden pilgrims. The eight attendants start pulling up and down until it swings as high as the ceiling. We lift our heads to follow it and realize it is right over our heads; a strange feeling.

Next, we head to the Pilgrims Office to obtain our Compostelo Certificate of Completion. All along the route, we have obtained stamps from hotels, restaurants, churches, etc. on our Pilgrim Passports, denoting what towns we visited. From Sarria on, we were required to obtain two stamps a day. The 45 minutes fly by as we compare notes with fellow pilgrims. We run into some pilgrims and agree that a last glass of wine together is in order. It’s hard to say goodbye…

Since I’ve arrived in Santiago I have not slept well. All the sights and sounds of the last 35 days are swirling around in my head and I am trying to sort them out. It is said that the Camino is divided into three parts. The first is physical, as your body gets used to the grueling daily regimen. The second is mental, as you walk the flat, somewhat boring paths of the meseta. The last is spiritual, as you near Santiago and the end of your long journey.

The Camino books and YouTube videos tell stories of pilgrims experiencing some sort of spiritual epiphany and I am hoping that I am one of them, but as I analyze each day and experience nothing comes to mind. I open our Camino book and start to flip through it, not sure why. We have owned this book for over a year and have referred to it many times throughout each day, but for some reason I have never turned to the last page until now. The words of a poem by Marianne Williamson (made famous by Nelson Mandela in his freedom speech) make the hair on my arms stand up on end and bring tears to my eyes. My spiritual gift was waiting for me in those last pages:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking.
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our Light shine,
We consciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

Sept. 23- Nájera: 18 miles, seven hours

The Harvest Festival revelers kept us up with their shouting and singing, but we still are up and ready to go.

Today’s path starts out flat through towns and then vineyards. We welcome the cooler temperature in the 60s, no sun and no steep inclines or descents.

Throughout the day the path changes from dirt to rocks to concrete. Trails flow through forests, fields, vineyards, towns and along busy and quiet roadways. The terrain dictates how long the days walk will be.

Nájera was the capital of the Navarre kingdom in the 11th century and its old stone buildings still stand proudly. We arrive at the Hostal Ciudad de Nájera and are greeted so warmly by the father and son owners as if we were family. They carry our backpacks up the stairs to our rooms and present us with a cold bottle of red wine, which we gratefully accept. All this and a bathtub too!

Sept. 24- Santo Domingo de la Calzada: 14 miles, five hours

It’s such a peaceful start to the day when you walk just before sunrise.

The flat path soon gives way to long inclines, then long descents, with lots of loose gravel, but the welcoming smiles and wishes of “Buen Camino!” from the townspeople in each little town we pass through gives us the energy we need to continue.

We thought we had another hour to go and are so surprised and happy to see the town sign that we celebrate with a Coke with lemon. The Hospederia Cisterciense is run by the nuns of the same name and we are impressed by its Old World charm and the simple, clean, crisp feeling of the rooms.

Sept. 25- Belorado: 14 miles, five hours

The nuns are fussing over us at breakfast, making sure we have enough to eat and wishing us “Buen Camino!.”

Most of today’s walk travels right next to the busy N-120 Highway. Cars and trucks are roaring by and the sound is anything but relaxing.

I am feeling less intimidated of the terrain and allow myself to let my mind wander just a bit, without ever losing respect for the Camino. One loose pebble underfoot is a reminder to keep focused.

Belorado is another lovely old town, centered on a plaza and a church. We are so happy when we finally find Pensione Toni. It’s a big room with 4 beds just for us, so we spread out and make ourselves comfortable.

Our feet are throbbing, as if they have a heartbeat and we are concerned. Later, when we join a New Zealander and a New Yorker for cocktails, we are relieved to know that they also have the same problem; blame it on the hard pavement.

Sept. 26- San Juan de Ortega: 15 miles, 5 and one-half hours

Today marks day No. 11; we have already completed one-third of the Camino!

The sunrise makes the fields glow and I have all I can do to stop myself from running through them singing the theme from “The Sound of Music.” Luckily, I resist, since it would have defied the No. 1 Camino rule: don’t take any extra steps that you don’t have to!

The route is flat, until we come upon some very steep inclines and descents, which luckily were very short. We pass Atapuerca, which displays the earliest human remains ever discovered in Europe. Then, we see a sign which says “Oasis Ahead.” Is that salsa music we hear in the distance?

We come across a young woman selling food and cold drinks for a donation and giving out slices of cold melon; so refreshing! Two pilgrims who do not know each other start dancing and everyone is laughing and clapping.

With a population of 18, the small town is centered around a lovely stone church. Our Hotel Rural La Hanera is very comfortable. We sit outside with a view of the church and enjoy some wine, while conversing with a couple from Iceland and a young man from New York. When the owner notices all the hungry pilgrims patiently waiting for the restaurant to open at 7 p.m., he decides to open 15 minutes earlier for us and we are all grateful.

Sept. 19- To Puenta de la Reina: 15 miles, seven hours

On our way out of Pamplona, we walk through the beautiful park and gardens and then to the University, where they stamp our pilgrim passport.

Today, the walking is very difficult; steep inclines and descents with lots of loose, rocky terrain. We’re walking with a group from Germany and I make them laugh when I say that I will be declining a drink “on the rocks” at cocktail time.

We are so happy to have a private room at the Albergue Puenta de la Reina. We sit outside and enjoy a cold beer on their private terrace, run into our Australian friend and plan to have dinner together.

Sept. 20- To Estella: 14 miles, six hours

It’s always nice when the terrain starts out flat. As we walk, we watch a farmer plowing his fields, then stop to breathe in the wonderful smell of the rich, red earth; such a wonderful, clean smell!

We always take a rest in each small town we pass, sometimes to have a snack or just to use the facilities. In this particular place, the woman behind the counter was complaining, in Spanish, that everyone on the bathroom line should be paying something. I suggested to her, in Spanish that she put up a sign in different languages and charge a fee (marketing 101).

We are lucky to find a private room in the Capuchino Monastery tonight. No laundry service is available, so we start our laundry and then sit in the garden, enjoying a cold beer. We laugh with a German couple and agree that this isn’t a bad way to do laundry.

Sept. 21- To Los Arcos: 13 miles, six hours

I love walking through the towns early in the morning. They look like a movie set. With the old stone buildings and the town center with the church and plaza, it’s always a surprise when someone passes you in contemporary clothing or a car drives by.

First thing in the morning, we come upon the famous Fuente del Vino: a free wine spigot for pilgrims from one of the local wineries. We decline, but the Europeans make up for us!

We are in the Rioja wine country and pass through miles of vineyards. As we’re walking, we think we hear music. Around the bend, in the middle of nowhere, there is a husband and wife playing the violin and accordion for donations.

Tonight, we are staying at Pensione Los Arcos. Jose, the manager, not only welcomes us, but gives us his cell phone number in case we need anything. We enjoy discussing the day’s adventures with people from Sweden, Australia and Utah.

Sept. 22- To Logroño: 17 miles, 7 and one-half hours

The flat city pavement and the flat dirt road give us a false sense of security. While we knew to expect inclines and descents today, we are surprised to find that there were so many and that they were so steep.

I try to enjoy the beautiful vistas and keep my mind off the inevitable. The large blocks of farmland in beiges, browns and greens look like suede in the sunlight. A farmer and his dogs guide a flock of sheep on a steep parcel of land. A trail through the forest was a welcome respite from the sun.

We happen to land here on one of the biggest festival days of the year- the Harvest Festival. The plaza is teaming with people and filled with musicians and dancers. It’s so exciting to be a part of it!

Tonight, we’re staying at the Alburgue La Bilbaina. While it’s a great location and very clean, we could have done without the many old, uneven, ceramic tile steps that lead up to our room.

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Sept. 16- To Roncesvalles: 16 miles (adjusted to 20 miles for inclines), nine hours

Dale! (let’s do it!). Day One will be the longest and the hardest, but the most spectacular. We join others leaving at the same time, wish them “Buen Camino” (have a good walk!) and chat on our way up the incline. As we begin the walk through the Pyrenees, the group becomes quiet, spellbound by the spectacular views and the silence. Only the sound of an occasional cowbell reminds us that we are not alone.

The day is sunny and the steep downhills and inclines seem doable. But, it soon starts to rain and the uneven terrain becomes treacherous. The rocks and mud on the trail make the trail so slippery that it takes our full concentration to decide the right spot for each step.

More experienced pilgrims share their knowledge with us. They show us how to hold our hiking poles when going up or down and how to slalom down a very steep descent (zigzag from side to side). By the end of the day we will have walked straight up 4,000 feet!

Our hands are so cold that it takes a minute before we can hold the pen to sign in at the Albergue de Peregrinos. We are so tired and so grateful they have a restaurant and buy two dinner tickets for a three-course meal and wine, a bargain at 10 euros. This massive building used to be a monastery. It’s very basic, clean and the bunk beds are set up dormitory style. The dryer is not working well, so we string a clothes line across my lower bunk. Everything dries overnight and I have privacy in my little club house.

Day One ends on a good note. The dinner was delicious and it was great fun to meet people from Brazil, Spain and Italy.

Sept. 17- To Zubrini: 14 miles, six hours

It’s raining again! Again, the downhills are steep and we realize we are in for another day like yesterday, only at a slightly lesser altitude.

We won’t be able to see much of Zubiri because of the weather, so we hunker down in the lounge of the El Patio de Avellano Alburgue and chat with others. This one is much nicer than the previous one; smaller and more modern with laundry service. A lovely Australian woman shares her secret of asking Reception to book her next evening’s accommodations. She’s already done the research, so we decide to follow her to her next few stops.

We enjoy another great Alburgue dinner. Tonight, our dinner partners are from Korea, France and New Zealand. I am fascinated by the women traveling alone and ask them so many questions. They all agree that the Camino is unlike any other trip. Yes, they are solo, but they seldom feel alone.

Sept. 18- To Pamplona: 13 miles, six hours

The rain has stopped, but has left behind so much mud. It’s slippery going, whether we’re walking up or down. We take a break to view an old church that’s being renovated. They will also stamp our pilgrim passport for a small donation. We meet a gentleman from South Africa who is in charge of the project and is so excited to share his many stories with us.

I really feel like eating an apple and mention it a few times during the day. Then, just around the bend, in the middle of nowhere, is a man selling fruit on the side of the road. It was one of the best apples I ever had. The Camino provides!

I find that rather than letting my mind wander, I am in deep concentration all day, watching my footing. A New Yorker, who walks with me a bit, agrees. She says it’s a gift to have all the cobwebs cleared out of our minds and it will make us sharper thinkers in the end.

We arrive in Pamplona early enough to sightsee. Famous for the running of the bulls each July, the high wall around the old town and the massive stone buildings give the city a certain charm. We enjoy a great Menu del Dia (menu of the day: three courses plus wine) and call it a day.

It took us all day to reach St. Jean Pied de Port, France, a medieval town founded in 716, but it was worth the trip. When we finally reached the Maison Donamaria B & B, Jean Francois and his dog Zubi were waiting outside to welcome us.

We planned to stay two nights to rest up before we set off. The highlight was checking in at the Pilgrim Office and  receiving our pilgrim passport, which will be stamped at each place we stay along the way, and a shell, the official symbol of the Camino, to tie on our backpack.

We took in all the sights of the town and agreed we felt as if time had stood still…until we headed back to our B & B and were taken aback to see a Roomba cleaning the hall outside our room.

For over 1000 years, pilgrims (peregrinos) have been drawn to the Shrine of the Apostle St. James in northern Spain’s medieval city of Santiago de Compostela. The routes know as “caminos” or ways originate all over Europe.

Today, hikers and cyclists travel the same paths as those before them, with little change. As tradition dictates, it is “your Camino.” Travelers carry a backpack and follow the route at their own speed. At the end of each day, they can seek out one of the albergues (pilgrim hostels), a five-star hotel or anything in between. Meals can be prepared communally or purchased. It is said that “the Camino provides” and the pilgrim always seems to be cared for on his journey. A pilgrim passport is stamped along the way. Completing 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the Camino will earn the pilgrim the coveted Compostela certificate, once they reach Santiago.

I’m not sure exactly when Mr. Wiz* actually started to become interested in this adventure. It might have been when he first saw the movie “The Way,” a wonderful father/son story about the Camino, starring Martin Sheen and written and directed by his son, Emilio Estevez. Initially, I chalked up his sudden interest to just another bucket list item, but he was utterly captivated. When he first presented the idea to me that we should plan to walk 500 miles through Spain together on a 1000-year old route, carrying backpacks and planning where to stay as we traveled along, I was intrigued.

I am not known for my sports prowess, but standing at the top of that mountain, after trying out my first hiking boots gave me a wonderful sense of exhilaration. And as Mr. Wiz helped me down from the three foot, plaster mountain in the shoe department of the REI store, I felt downright giddy.

In preparation for the 15 miles per day that we planned to walk, we trained by walking…and walking and walking. Whether we were chatting, focusing on the new parts of town we were encountering or side-by-side in our own thoughts, I was surprised how enjoyable it was. I had finally found a sport that I was good at: walking!

Researching the Camino and planning how to make it happen became our new hobby. Fortunately, pilgrims before us have chronicled their personal journeys down to every detail. So, except for the question of whether we would ask our employers for six weeks off or plan to retire early, we felt quite unintimidated. Mr. Wiz “bit the bullet” and announced he would retire exactly 20 years to the day he had started and I followed right behind him.

We signed up for Spanish classes. Between Mr. Wiz’s memory and my pronunciation skills, we did quite well. My dad would have been so happy to know that I would soon be exploring the home of his ancestors.

Excel spreadsheets were initiated and updated, research continued and plans were set:

• Sept. 13, 2016: fly from Austin to Paris.
• Sept. 14: From Paris, take the bus to Montparnasse Train Station, then the train to St. Jean Pied de Port, which is the starting point for the most popular route via the Pyrenees and northern Spain.
• Sept. 14 & 15: Stay in St. Jean.
• Sept. 16: Start the Camino. We are giving ourselves 33 days plus 2 rest days to walk the 500 miles.
• Oct. 22^: Meet Big A* and JC* in Porto, Portugal.
• Oct. 25: Take the train to Lisbon, Portugal.
• Oct. 29^: Return to Austin.

I’m not concerned with what I won’t have with me (stylish outfits, jewelry, makeup, nail polish, hair dryer). I have a feeling that the Camino will provide us with exactly what we will need.

*See “Cast of Characters” in About Section