This day of climbing O'Cebreiro turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of my whole journey. I rose early and left quietly while others in the albergue still slept. There was a bit more 'road' walking to do, and EU-funded motorways loomed overhead. But it was pleasant passing through a few villages in the cool of the morning, instead of what would have been the heat of the previous afternoon. Soon after Vega de Valcarce the real climbing began. It was getting warmer, and sweat was dropping off me, but I knew that there was not really far to go.... And the views looking back as I climbed were just spectacular. There was no mist today! I just took the climb steadily. There were several bars to stop at that all seemed to be doing a roaring trade in cold drinks. And it was mostly easy enough to find a shady tree to perch under for a rest stop along the way. Then, near the top I passed this sign. At this point I knew I would make it to Santiago, even if I had to make someone carry me there!!! After so many weeks of walking, the end was in sight in a week's time. And soon I crossed into Galicia, the last province along the route. I arrived in O'Cebreiro with time to spare before the albergue opened for the day. And what a brilliant day it was. The views from the top remained clear, and magnificent, the whole day. I hadn't known anything about O'Cebreiro. I didn't know that there was a mountaintop village here in prehistoric times, and that the Celtic heritage was celebrated here. I had no idea that the Romans had been here, and I had a fruitful time of exploration finding out more. I hadn't realised this village had been an important shrine for centuries, and in the church was this beautiful Madonna and child. The time I spent in O'Cebreiro was a mountaintop experience that will remain a very special memory of my trip.
When I was preparing to walk the route from Le-Puy-en-Velay to SJPP, I found there wasn't much info in English, and I hope this blog might fill the gap a little.... In 2008 I walked from Le Puy to Santiago. In 2012 I walked from Cluny to Conques, then spent three weeks in Spain, re-walking two sections of the Camino Frances. Please feel free to contact me if you wish.
Hunkered In
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The sky keeps changing colors, the wind roars all night and morning.
Sometime overnight it pulled the chicken-hut door off its hinges and
smashed it to k...
Beachscape
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I haven't blogged for a while, but here is a new poem.
*Beachscape*
*Surprising that I never knew before*
*the bright curve of this bay,*
*the way the wash...
Taranaki-born, long-time Manawatu resident and primary teacher; inveterate traveler, Camino walker, occasional cyclist, lover of sea and bush walks; getting into genealogy more; collapsed catholic; lapsed musician looking forward to doing more again in retirement
from the poem "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver.....
" I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
This quote is taken from notion900 on the Pilgrimage to Santiago forum: "Please know that although some people seem to imagine it as some appalling ordeal, the camino is a very health-giving thing - if you do simple things like healthy food, plenty of water, moisturise your feet and get plenty of sleep. Being out in nature for 5 weeks is just so life-giving: I finished the camino absolutely glowing with health and vitality. I hope you have a wonderful time."
'Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.' Goethe
"Glowing... this is the thing about pictures of people on the Camino. This light within... As if the Camino washed the soul and cleared the eyes." Claire Bangasser in a comment on Johnnie Walker's blog
and EU-funded motorways loomed overhead.
But it was pleasant passing through a few villages in the cool of the morning, instead of what would have been the heat of the previous afternoon.
Soon after Vega de Valcarce the real climbing began.
It was getting warmer, and sweat was dropping off me, but I knew that there was not really far to go....
And the views looking back as I climbed were just spectacular. There was no mist today!
I just took the climb steadily. There were several bars to stop at that all seemed to be doing a roaring trade in cold drinks.
And it was mostly easy enough to find a shady tree to perch under for a rest stop along the way.
Then, near the top I passed this sign. At this point I knew I would make it to Santiago, even if I had to make someone carry me there!!! After so many weeks of walking, the end was in sight in a week's time.
And soon I crossed into Galicia, the last province along the route.
I arrived in O'Cebreiro with time to spare before the albergue opened for the day. And what a brilliant day it was. The views from the top remained clear, and magnificent, the whole day.
I hadn't known anything about O'Cebreiro. I didn't know that there was a mountaintop village here in prehistoric times, and that the Celtic heritage was celebrated here. 
I had no idea that the Romans had been here, and I had a fruitful time of exploration finding out more.
I hadn't realised this village had been an important shrine for centuries, and in the church was this beautiful Madonna and child.
The time I spent in O'Cebreiro was a mountaintop experience that will remain a very special memory of my trip.
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