My return from the Camino was nearly two months ago and I still think about the trail every day.  I miss being outside daily, communing with nature, feeling the sun on my skin, the wind in my hair and the earth beneath my feet. And surprising, I also miss the things I hated on when I was there. I miss the relentless forward motion of the trail, the difficult climbs, the agonizing descents and the simple challenge of learning to live simply.

It was indeed a life changing adventure, but my life has not changed in a dramatic outward way. In fact, things seem very much the same. My body is slowly returning to the soft flesh that I began with.  I returned to the same rat race, rushing to the same appointments and trying to beat the same deadlines. I still cave into those familiar external stresses and sometimes lose my cool. I still curse at bad drivers, feel anger at the current state of our political climate and  feel blue when things don’t go as planned. I did not return as some calm zen master, as I had hoped.

However, my long hike across Spain did open up small shifts in perspective that have positively impacted my life. Chief among my insights is this: Our intentions create our environments. If we want magic, we start with looking for and anticipating magic. The Camino was special because I decided it was special.  I trained for it, I researched about it and I expected that it would be an amazing adventure. Each day on the trail, I looked for and anticipated something extraordinary. I took the time to contemplate beauty, to appreciate the small, intricate ways the Universe worked in my favor  and I saw the challenges as just a part of the journey and not as some failure on my part. The lesson of the Camino is to approach every day life in the same way. And while I have not quite mastered it yet, I can feel the quiet whisper of the Camino each day as it reminds me of its secrets. The Camino gently advises me to take a few extra moments in the morning to sit on the back porch and soak in the beauty of the woodlands behind my house. As I savor the warm coffee in my hands and watch the woods slowly come alive, I remember the peace of Nature. A hawk visits me each morning, lighting upon the top of a pine tree and calling out a good morning in its shrill cry. This is magic. I am transported back to the trail, back to communion with Nature, back to the Source.

Upon returning home from the Camino, I accepted a job offer with a previous employer. The timing, the people and the pieces all seemed to fall perfectly into place. The Camino gently nudged me and I offered up my thanks to the Universe for the magic of synchronicity.

There have also been bumps in the road. Juggling a new job, assisting my husband with the business on the weekends and dealing with all the holidays has been challenging. At these times, the Camino rumbles from deep within. It reminds me of the exhaustion, the rocky descents, the bruised feet, the crankiness and the sleepless nights. The Camino winks at me, a sparkle in its eye because it knows that it is just part of the journey, that before I know it the trail will change and I will begin climbing up to a magnificent view again.

 

 

• Starting Point: Muxia
• Ending Point: Ultreia 

As dawn breaks, I head out alone to hike around Muxia and reflect on my journey. It has been the adventure of a lifetime. And it seems like a lifetime ago that I started out that first day in St. Jean Pied de Port. Eric, the owner of the albergue that first night in St Jean, was right when he said I would learn so much about myself. I learned exactly what I’m made of, the good and the ugly. And somewhere along the Way, I learned to celebrate the good and made peace with the ugly. 

Laura and I had talked about how we were one day shy of walking 40 days. Forty is a significant number in the Bible. It is the number of days Jesus  fasted and was tested in the desert, the number of days Moses was on the mountain, the number of years the Israelites wandered in the desert and the number of days it rained when Noah was on the ark. Each of these 40 day periods represented a time of testing, trials and lessons which prepared the person(s) for a new path. I too hope that I take all the lessons I learned on this hike into the next season of my life. And so, it’s in this spirit that I will consider Day 40 of my hike to be from Muxia to “Ulteria”, or onward! I walk down to the beach,  take a stick and draw the word into the sand. Then as I sit on the rocks, the seagulls surfing the air currents above me, I watch the tide come in and wash the word away. 

As I turn to leave the beach, I notice a crevice in the hill to the right of the staircase. It had escaped my attention as I walked in and now I am fascinated with how it resembles a womb. The Celtic people here were worshippers of the Sun, Moon, stars, Earth and all things Nature. In that spirit, yesterday I paid my respects to the life giving Sun. I pause and consider this gift that has entered my path. Here is my chance to pay my respects to Mother Earth. I approach the cave, carefully navigating the rocks near it, step inside and quickly step out. It is pretty darn creepy in there, my stomach flutters with nerves. But I still feel drawn to explore it, to pay homage to Mother Earth.  I step inside again and let my eyes adjust. The cave is long and narrow. There is a single flat stone in the middle of the cave floor and a tumble of rocks along the back wall. Roots and vines hang from the side walls and the ceiling. It is quite dark and again my nerves get the best of me and I step back outside. But I know that I want to sit upon that single stone and say a prayer to Mother Earth. I gather up all my courage and enter the dark cave one last time. I sit upon the flat stone, offer my prayers to Mother Earth and step back out into the sunlight…

As I ascend the stairs, the church bells start to ring. And ring, and ring. It is not the normal hourly bell chime. Something special must be going on, I think. I decide to follow the bells and they keep ringing as I walk from the beach, along the wharf, through town, near the church and they auspiciously stop as soon as my feet reach an old stone staircase that runs up alongside the small mountain next to the church. It was as if the bells had stopped on cue. The timing was so eerily coordinated that it gave me goose pimples. Whether it was coincidence or fate, I will never know, but I took it as a sign to follow the staircase. 

The staircase turned into a small trail. I passed another woman on the trail so I didn’t think twice about continuing. But then the trail narrowed and began growing steeper. It climbed a few smaller rocks and then before I realized it I was on the side of a huge rock, very high in the air. I looked down and my heart jumped into my throat. The wind was very strong. I had a shoulder bag around  my arm and so was not quite prepared to go rock climbing. Those who know me can attest to my overwhelming fear of heights. I looked up to where the trail continued and it grew steeper and rockier. For a moment I considered going back down, but that looked more dangerous. Here I was stuck on the side of a mountain! I laughed at myself. “You have really lost your ever loving mind, Michelle. First, you go spelunking in Mother Earth’s womb and now you are following bells up a rocky mountainside”. I briefly imagine Laura realizing I’m missing and the Spanish rescue workers having to retrieve me off the rocks. I start to feel panicky and lightheaded. “Okay, Michelle. Get a hold of yourself. You can do this.”  I gather up every bit of courage in my body and start climbing the rocks. I drag my shoulder bag behind me. My knees become scrapped, my hand brushes against some stinging nettles and my fingers bleed. At last, the tip of the monument at the top of the mountain comes into view. I know I’m almost there. I scrambled up the last few rocks and emerge at the top of the mountain, next to the white cross. My body is shaking as I sit down on a large rock and cry. The tears are partly pride and joy at overcoming my fears and partly relief at not falling to my death! Once I’ve pulled myself together, I look around hoping nobody has seen this spectacle. To my relief, I am all alone on this small mountain. I stand up and take a few more steps until I’m standing on the highest point. I stare out into the sea, the wind whipping around me. In that moment, I know my pilgrimage has brought me here and that this is a fitting end to my journey.  I lift my arms in victory. 

​ Afterwards, I walk back down the mountain on the official, sanctioned path and visit the sacred rocks in front of the church. The sea today is choppy and sea water sprays over the rocks. It has been an amazing, crazy, magical morning. But it is now time to return home. After all I have experienced and learned, I know I will see things differently back at home. In The Four Quartets, a poem book I left behind many weeks ago in an albergue somewhere on the Camino, T.S. Elliot stated it perfectly: 

“And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” 

Thank you for reading!

As soon as we step off the bus in Muxia, the wind has our attention. It is blowing at a sustained 22 mph with gusts of at least 30 mph. From our backpacks, we fish out our windbreakers and buffs. Our plan today is rest and relaxation by the seashore, followed by a viewing of the sunset. We check into a charming double room in an albergue, eat lunch, nap and take a windy walk around town. 

The ancient Celts celebrated the sun here along this coast. It is easy to see why. The panoramic view of the sun sinking below the horizon is awe inspiring. We climb a path to the top of the small mountain behind the church to watch the sun’s magnificent show. The wind gusts are quite strong and we have to watch our footing carefully. There are a handful of other people at the top, nestled in on rocks to watch the sunset. Laura and I find our place. As the sun touches the horizon, I notice a reverent silence among the crowd. It felt like church up on that mountainside. There was that magic that’s in the air when a group of people gather with a common focused energy. Some call it the Holy Spirit. But it could also be described as “wholly spirit”. It’s in those moments that we step outside of ourselves, we leave behind all the day to day minutiae and petty details that clutter our minds and we focus on something or someone greater than ourselves. It can happen in church, it can happen at a concert, it can happen during a conversation with a good friend, it can happen when making love and it can happen on the top of a mountainside in Muxia. 

The Cathedral plaza is quiet and empty as we enter it in the early morning. Our goal is to get ahead of the daily tourists and have a quiet moment to reflect on our pilgrimage at this sacred site. We take a moment to locate the last Camino marker and to admire the fountains, spires and monuments surrounding the church. 

We enter the Cathedral to complete our pilgrim rites of hugging St James and visiting his relics. 

The statue of St James that is the centerpiece of the altar can be accessed through a small hallway behind. It is a pilgrim ritual to hug or place your arms around the icon. Laura and I make our way to the small, narrow hall. There is no line and I’m thankful we get to take our time. I place my arms around St James and whisper into his ear my gratitude for a beautiful journey. Next, we take the stairs down to St James tomb and pay our respects. 

Afterwards, we tour the Cathedral Musuem. There we learn the history of the Cathedral, view a collection of artwork and tapestries and visit a library with ancient texts. No photos were allowed inside.  The tour includes an entry to the balcony that overlooks the main plaza. It was a great vantage point to watch the pilgrims enter in and celebrate. 

The tour finishes just in time for Mass. We hoped to see the botafumeiro, a large incense burner that is swung in the Cathedral. In ages past, it was used to help conceal the stink from the pilgrims. Today, it is only used on special occasions/holy days or if a patron pays to cover the costs (around $300).  It wasn’t used during the Mass when we entered town and, unfortunately, we don’t see it at this Mass either. It is supposedly quite a sight to see. Eight men swing the botafumeiro. It swings up high, nearly reaching the ceiling and achieving a speed of about 68 km/h (about 42 mph). Large amounts of smoke plume from it. (There are many videos online, if you are curious). 

There were other museums we could visit, but Laura and I were exhausted. We head back to our room and enjoy a long and much deserved nap. 

When we awake, we have some delicious tapas, browse the shops and go to the evening Mass. The botafumeiro is a no show again. It just wasn’t in the cards for us. 

Tomorrow we head back to Muxia for some R&R next to the ocean before heading home. 

The original plan was to hike to Finisterre and Muxia. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and I had made my peace with Plan B. But as the bus entered the coastal area, my heart sank. The wild beauty of the mountains meeting the ocean captured my imagination and I felt some disappointment that I didn’t get to hike into this amazing landscape. I promise myself that one day I will return to hike this last section.

Our first stop is Muxia, a small fishing village. Muxia is the location of the scene in the movie “The Way” where Martin Sheen’s character throws his son’s ashes into the ocean. The rocks he stands on have a very significant meaning here. There is a legend that Mary appeared here in a stone ship to give a message of hope to St James. She told him his mission in Spain was complete and that he should return to Jerusalem. The rocks are said to be the remains of her boat. One of the rocks is purported to cure back pain if you crawl under it 9 times. Another rocking stone supposedly determines if you are telling the truth (it rocks if you are truthful, stands still if you lie). A church to Mary was built  next to the rocks. 

Next, the bus takes us to Finisterre, or as the ancient Celts believed, Land’s End. I walked out to the lighthouse and spent some time enjoying the ocean breeze against my skin, listening to the tide sway into the rocks and soaking in the sunshine. 

The bus then took us down into the center of town and we walked along the wharf viewing the boats. We had a lovely lunch where I tried razor clams for the first time. 

Following lunch, we stopped to see the only waterfall in Western Europe that flows into the ocean. Again, the rugged beauty of the area took my breath away. 

Finally, we stopped to see the second largest hórreo in the world. Apparently, another hórreo a couple of towns over beat this one out by one meter, but this one was easier for the bus to get to. 

The salty air, the placid sea and the rocky mountainsides were the perfect backdrop for some rest and relaxation today. Although I didn’t get to hike this beautiful coastal area, I am very grateful for the opportunity to visit it and perhaps one day, I will explore it in my hiking boots!

• Beginning Point: San Marcos
• Ending Point: Santiago
• Daily distance: 3.36 miles (5.4 km)
• Total distance: 470.86 miles (757.77 km)

As we hike out of San Marcos, the sun is just starting to peek over the mountains. It is a short distance to Monte del Gozo, or Mount Joy, where we get our first look at Santiago. Upon entering Monte del Gozo, we first stop in a small chapel dedicated to San Marcos and then view the monument dedicated to Pope John Paul II’s pilgrimage. 

 

We then hike up a path to see Santiago and the pilgrim statues pointing the way. Tears of joy well in my eyes as I see the city. 

On our way down into Santiago, Laura and I recount our journey. We laugh about how much bread and French fries we ate, our experiences in push button and other weird showers, bunk beds, snorers and getting lost. Then, we share which were our favorite cities, churches, albergues and hiking trails. Our minds are boggled that we have walked for 39 days and nearly 500 miles. We actually did it! 

The entry into Santiago begins like most large cities with traffic and sidewalks. We slowly wind our way into the historic district. The yellow arrows continue pointing the way and we pick up a few other pilgrims along the way. 

Soon we hear the heart piercing echos of bagpipes. A young man is playing them in the tunnel we must go through. Upon exiting the tunnel, we are standing in the plaza of the Cathedral. We have made it to our destination. 

The exterior of the Cathedral is not particularly beautiful to behold. It has been undergoing restoration for years and it still has a few more years until it’s complete. Though some would be disappointed in this ending, I find it imperfectly perfect. 

Next, we enter the Cathedral and find a seat for the Pilgrim’s Mass. The altar shines brilliantly in tones of gold and silver. St James sits in the center. There is a passageway behind him where pilgrims enter and place their arms around him. Many arms embrace him while we wait for Mass to begin. 

After Mass, we go to the Pilgrim’s Office to present our pilgrim passport and receive our Compostela. 

We complete our day by having a delicious meal at a beautiful restaurant and then walking around to explore the city. 

There are still a few more days until we head home. Tomorrow we will take a day tour  to see the coastal towns of Muxia and Finnistre. We plan on touring the Cathedral and museums in more detail on Saturday.  Finally, on Sunday we will head to Muxia for one night to see the sunset before saying our goodbyes to Spain. 

• Beginning Point: Salceda
• Ending Point: San Marcos
• Daily distance: 14.85 miles (23.9 km)
• Total distance: 467.50 miles (752.37 km)

Today is our last full day of hiking. I take in the forest sounds, smells and sights, savoring the time I have left on the trail. I am both excited and sad for my pilgrimage to end. It has been an amazing journey! 

In this last part of the hike, I have not had any brilliant spiritual epiphanies. I also haven’t had any additional insight into one grand passion I want to pour my life into. I think those who find one grand passion are extremely rare. And such a passion can be two sided –  it can be a gift and an obsession. Instead, I’ve come to learn that a life passion can be a seemingly simple collection of moments –  spending time with your family, enjoying a new album from your favorite musician, cooking a delicious meal for your loved ones, reading a poem, watching a leaf float down on the breeze, playing catch with your dog. This pilgrimage has taught me about simple gratitude and a humble acceptance for whatever and whomever life hands you. I have by no means mastered these lessons yet. But, the Camino has definitely opened my heart to see that the seemingly mundane parts of our life, the ones we usually take for granted,  are actually the most magical. 

Today’s hike ends in San Marco, a one hour walk from Santiago. We complete our normal routine…dinner, shower, laundry. But there is excitement in the air. Like children on the night before Christmas, we eagerly await dawn and the presents, or rather “presence”, it will bring. 

• Beginning Point: Melinde 
• Ending Point: Salceda
• Daily distance: 15.35 miles (24.7 km)
• Total distance: 452.65 miles (728.47 km)

It indeed was a long night. Besides snoring, the man next to me got up several times to pee, burped loudly and farted. And then as if that wasn’t enough to contend with, a man across the room started loudly sleep talking. At first, I thought he was talking on the phone until the words starting slurring together into nonsense. Another woman in the room loudly shushed him. It was a disaster. I didn’t go back to sleep until around 4 am and woke back up at 7 am to prepare for one of our longer walking days. 

But once outside, the morning sky took my breath away. The irritation from the lack of sleep quickly fell away as I admired Nature’s handiwork. 

As we were searching out the yellow arrows in the city streets, I hear the faint call of my name. I turn around and once again get to see my Korean friends from Day 1. They expect to arrive in Santiago on the same day we do! 

We continue on through farmland most of the day. I enjoy seeing the locals in their element, herding cattle, pitching hay, picking up children from the bus stop. The rolling hills begin increasing in frequency and my legs become taxed. 

I’m really starting to feel exhausted and I plug in my headphones for some motivation. The upbeat tunes help keep my feet moving. All of the sudden from my peripheral vision, I see a large object coming at me. Even through my headphones, I hear large crashing noises. I turn and see a donkey, barreling through bushes, coming directly at me. I’m quite startled at first but quickly realize the donkey is tethered to a tree. He definitely wants my attention though, so I pet him. He is a bit devilish and tries to eat my bag! A few yards down is a tent with a basket of carrots. Ahhh…now I know what the donkey wanted from me. I drop a euro in the donation basket and grab the fellow a treat. 

A little further down the road we encounter “The Wall of Wisdom”. Someone posted their philosophical views on science and religion. It was a good read and I think he was pretty right on. In a nutshell, he said that we shouldn’t get so hung up on the dogma of religion or science for answers to the world’s troubles, but instead should examine our own hearts. 

Tonight we had quite a humorous host and hostess at our albergue, Tia Teresa and Tío. They make jokes, tease us and keep refilling our glasses. Tia Teresa is a fabulous cook. We ordered the scallops, another speciality here in Galacia.  In Europe, they serve the roe along with the scallop. I never even knew there was such a thing as scallop roe. I had to google it!

At dinner, we met Julie from Australia and chatted with a couple of fellows from Ireland. The conversation, wine and food were great. The atmosphere was light and jubilant. You can tell that all of us pilgrims are becoming giddy at the prospect of reaching our destination. Two more days until Santiago!

• Beginning Point: Eirexe
• Ending Point: Melinde
• Daily distance: 13.98 miles (22.5 km)
• Total distance: 437.30 miles (703.77 km)

My life for the past 6 weeks has revolved around following a yellow arrow across nearly 500 miles of mountain trails. Some arrows are on official markers, some are spray painted, some are made by locals on their homes. Along the way, there has been bountiful displays of graffiti on the markers, especially as we get closer to Santiago. Some of the graffiti has been inspirational, encouraging positive thoughts and continued endurance. One person posted individual lines, one by one, from the song “Imagine” by John Lennon on numerous markers so that soon you were singing the song in your head. Other graffiti artists left their mark by posting their name or giving a shoutout to a friend. Some made political statements. Some I liked. Some I thought were tacky. But no matter the graffiti that accompanied it, I was always happy to see the yellow arrow. It meant I was on the right path. 

The trail continued today through forests, agricultural fields, small hamlets, churches and then finally into Melide, a town with a population of 7,800. 

Melide is perhaps best known for its culinary specialty – octopus. I thought it was very good. The texture wasn’t bad at all. The flavor reminded me of crab. I also enjoyed the roasted Padrón peppers. 

Tonight the albergue is more modern, with some handy features such as a shelf next to your bunk to plug in your cell phone. The bunk beds are also very tall, so a person on the bottom bunk can sit up with at least a foot of headspace to spare. I’m feeling rather hopeful about this albergue experience and I quickly fall asleep around 9pm. Unfortunately, the person sleeping in the bunk next to be rambles in loudly at 11pm and shines his flashlight right into my face. After he finally settled into bed, I breathe a sigh of relief. Now I can get back to sleep. Within two minutes, I hear a huge snore erupt for the man. Oh brother, I’m in for a long night….

• Starting Point: Portomarin
• Ending Point: Eirexe
• Daily distance: 11.0 miles (17.7 km)
• Total distance: 423.32 miles (681.27 km)

A mist covers the trail as we depart Portomarin. I’m reminded of the forests in Grimm’s fairytales. A raven flies overhead and caws. It is enchanting. 

Up and up we climb. As we crest the mountain, we rise above the fog we have been walking through. The sky is bright blue and from this vantage point we can see what looks like a lake of clouds below us. 

We wind in and out of small hamlets throughout the day. In one such hamlet, we stop into a small chapel dedicated to Mary Magdalena and the blind caretaker stamped our pilgrim’s passport. He was quite a character. He asked us where we were from and then continued to call us “Florida” throughout our conversation.  “Hey Florida, Buen Camino”,  he shouted to us on the way out. 

A new feature on the trail in this region is the hórreo (pronounced like Oreo). It is a structure used to store grain. It seems like every house we pass has one. 

Our albergue hostess in Eirexe was a sweetheart. She received us with a huge smile, patted my arm over and over, took care of our laundry and eagerly tried to accommodate any request we had.  It is times like this that I wish I could communicate more eloquently in Spanish because I wanted to tell her how touched I was by her hospitality. I felt cared for like a member of the family and I can only hope that my smile and repeated gushing of “Muchas Gracias” displayed how grateful I was. 

Laura and I made our way to the restaurant next door and share a cheese plate. The region is also known for its cheeses, for good reason. They were delicious! The Cebreiro cheese was my favorite. The cheese block looks like a mushroom or chef’s hat. The cheese is mild, creamy and melts in the mouth. 

With another day on the Camino completed, bellies full and laundry done, we hit the hay.