Today was a long, leisurely, and beautiful day. The scenery was very different but really nice, and the weather was just fantastic. 30+ kilometers usually means rolling into town after 5:00, but they can be quite enjoyable days nonetheless.
Because we have 31 kilometers to go today, we decided to be out the door by 7:00. We designated the fart chips to be the punishment for anyone who is out the door after 7:00, which was a hilarious and surprisingly effective incentive not to be late. I woke up at 6:30, brushed my teeth, put my contacts in, threw my bag together, and raced downstairs to get my boots on. I finished tying my boots right as it hit 7:00. Sam, Margaret, and Eva were done on time as well. That meant that Dan was late, destined to have farts for breakfast. He conveniently forgot the chips as he left the albergue and shut the door. Maybe someone else will enjoy them.
Leaving at 7:00 means we get to see the sunrise, which is my favorite part of any day. We all walk out and talk a little bit, but soon fall silent. In the early morning, it almost feels weird to talk. Since the whole world is silent, save for the birds, it feels like you should be too. It feels like sacred time for each person. I find that I'm the most reflective and thoughtful in the mornings, and I think that goes for most people.
We leave the town, walking along a road with few cars passing by. We're walking West, so the sun rises behind us, but every now and then I look back to see the sky turning colors. Pretty soon, the clouds above the mountains turn a deep pink. It's beautiful to look at, accenting the quiet, peaceful feel of the morning quite nicely.
I then crest a hill, on top of which I can see the first stop for the day, the city of Ponferrada. It sits in the distance, with smaller towns in front of it and snow capped mountains to its left. Rolling hills spread out in front of me, a mix of farmland and suburbs. The sunrise continues to change the sky's colors. It's a beautiful moment on the hilltop before I start the descent into the rolling hills.
I spend that time sorting through my thoughts and getting into prayer for the morning. I'm soon walking through various small towns and suburbs with lots of land. There's a lot of grass and open space. The sun continues to rise behind me, and I listen to a sermon by Father Mike Schmitz.
The sermon continues to tell the story of Father Walter Cizek, and also tells the story of a mother of 8 who has cancer, focusing on the idea that trust with conditions attached is not true trust. Father Mike makes the point that needing to know why, at its core, is also a condition of trust. We can tell God that we're okay with one thing happening as long as something else happens. Or we can tell Him that we're okay with something happening, or making a life decision based on hearing God's call, as long as we know why God wills it. But these conditions prevent us from truly trusting God. When our parents teach us to be obedient, they don't teach us to be obedient as long as we know all the reasons behind their requests. They teach us to be obedient without conditions. The same goes for God. We must be obedient without conditions to truly experience the peace that comes from having our will united to God's. And that means it's necessary to trust God without always knowing why He asks of us what He does. But we must hand over full control of our lives to God in order to achieve full trust in God. He is a good God, and is definifely worth trusting!
After the sermon is done, I walk for a while, reflecting on what was said. I tried to find the conditions of my own trust in God in my life. What in my life do I not fully trust God with? What do I maintain control over, not trusting God to take care of it? I pondered these questions as I soon walked into the city of Ponferrada. I also realized that I have everything I've been wishing for on the Camino today. Great weather, beautiful nature and scenery, and no more foot pain or uncomfortability. God is good!
On my way into Ponferrada, I see an open church! What a great sight. It's big, and, as always, very beautiful. I kneel inside for a few minutes, praying and admiring the artwork. Then I continue on.
Ponferrada is a really nice mid-sized city. There are plenty of young people about, and lots of cafes are open. I find Dan, Margaret, and Eva at one, and Sam soon joins us. I get a croissant and a cafe con leche. After a nice breakfast all together, we hit the grocery store and then split as everyone does their city tasks they need to get done. Sam gets some medication from a pharmacy, Eva heads on, and Dan, Margaret, and I make sandwiches on a table outside with the supplies we just got. I also hit an ATM before heading on.
Margaret, Dan, and I all walk out of the city together. We talk about movies for a while, then what we think about Spain and the Camino in general, as well as what originally made the Camino an attractive choice for us. We pass out of the city and into the suburbs, and walk through them for quite some time.
Soon, we come to an open cafe. We grab some refreshments before carrying on and enjoy them in the cafe's backyard. I get coke, and Dan gets a beer. Then, soon after, we're on our way again.
Dan and I then talk for a while about weddings. He asks what would ruin my wedding, if anything. I don't think anything would ruin it for me, but I hope that doesn't get tested. We'll just have to see!
After a while, the conversation naturally ends, and we all start spreading out naturally. The sun is out in full force now, and it's getting warm. I take off my layers, and soon find myself out of the suburbs and into a nature-filled crevace between big hills. I pass many vineyards and pockets of beautiful nature scenery. A cat runs away from me, bounding through tall grass. I come to a stream with a bridge over it, and realize in an instant the beauty of the scene around me. I can hear the rushing water and the birds singing. The air smells fresh and there's vineyards and forest all around me. I decide to take a moment to let it all sink in, so I sit on the bridge and let my feet dangle while listening to the beautiful music of nature. I also continue reflecting on the idea that true trust in God has no conditions.
I see a nice looking stick in the stream, and decide to try using it as a walking stick. It's sticking out of the stream and resting against a log. I grab it and then continue on my way. The beautiful nature walk continues, and for a while, it's easy to imagine that there's no city or suburbs around.
I continue praying, and soon come to another town. Margaret and Sam are here, so I join them and we sit on a bench together. After a short rest, we carry on. I talk to them both for a while, then we spread out again and have more alone time. We're all realizing how soon the Camino is coming to a close, and also that walking alone is our favorite way to walk. So we've been doing a lot more of that recently.
I reach another section of the walk today that is full of nature, hills, and vineyards. It's beautiful, and brings me a second wind for prayer. I pray about marriage, and what will change and what will remain the same. I think about how married life will be. I can't wait!
This section of the walk is beautiful. There's forest mountains all around me, with snowy mountains behind those. The path winds over and around many hills full of grape vines. The landscape is consistently beautiful. I reflect on everything I'm thankful for in life.
At some point, in a little village, I find a timid young black cat that is continuously meowing at me from across the street. I decide to get out my cat treats and toss him some. He eats them quickly, and I slowly get him to come closer by placing them closer to me. I then place a big pile right next to me and pet him as he eats. He's a very vocal little guy, and he even starts purring. How cute.
I soon find Margaret and catch up with her. We finish the last kilometer or two together, deciding on which albergue to stay at. We find Sam and Dan at the village entrance. We've arrived at Villafranca del Bierzo.
Villafranca del Bierzo is a very pretty little town at the base of the mountains. The region is very hilly and green, surrounded by farms or vineyards. The town itself is well laid out and clean. It's a great place to spend the night! Eva has arrived long ago, and checked into an albergue already. We decide to go to a different albergue with a kitchen, but realize as we're checking in that the kitchen is closed. Bummer. I guess we eat out tonight!
After a quick shower, the four of us meet up with Eva and get dinner at a nice Spanish-Italian restaurant. I get a great pizza and a coke. We all eat and talk, making jokes about the day and talking about the journey thus far. Eva whips out her sketch book and decides to draw us Pedro Siesta. She's a fantastic artist, and her rendition of Pedro is fantastic! He's depicted as a bandit-ruffian who's also lazy. He's dozing against the wall at peak siesta time (3:00ish) and has a hammock and his walking stick next to him. The open sign is dashed and broken, and the closed sign is sitting on the fooor. Pedro is, of course, too lazy to put it up. We all admire the photo and laugh about the whole thing.
After dinner, we hit the grocery store to get breakfast, then return to the albergue. We talk in the common area for a bit, and meet a Spanish man named Javier who's on his first day of the Camino. He's a really fun and nice guy. Then I write this blog post while laying in bed. It's now 11:00 and time for bed. We wake up early again tomorrow, heading out at 7:00. Thank you, God, for the beautiful day!