The final 100km

We woke up to rain, which we were prepared for. So we got on our rain gear, had breakfast and got underway toward Sarria. We opted for the route that had a bit of a climb (200m), but it was shorter by 6km. Definitely a good trade off. Within about 10 minutes, the rain stopped! The first part of the walk was up a rocky, muddy path, but then it opened up to a wider gravel track. Still uphill, but easier to keep our footing. And we got the uphill out of the way early in the day.

I walked with Elsie from Massachusetts for a while. She is traveling with her friend Susie from Connecticut, who recently lost her husband. We shared stories about our kids, about family dynamics, about the walk and about places we’ve seen. We had much in common so that was a nice way to pass the time going uphill.

The rain resumed at around 10 AM, and all of the pilgrims scurried to don their ponchos and cover themselves and their packs. With the ponchos and their trekking poles, they looked like an army of hunchbacks, picking their way down the trail.

We are firmly in the mountains of Galicia, known for the unpredictable and changeable weather. But also known for the beautiful mist that hugs the hillsides and keeps everything so green. I’ve seen at least 50 shades of green. (Hmmm, maybe there’s a book in there somewhere!) The downside to the constant moisture is that it mixes with the cow dung and chicken poop, so that putrid smell permeates the lovely mountain air. I seriously almost “lost my lunch” because the smell was so strong in one of the towns.

We arrived in Sarria with plenty of time to shower, rest and go to the cathedral at least. We saw a couple of beautiful murals. One was on the wall leading to the cathedral of an ancient pilgrim family on the camino. Hard to comprehend that entire families would undertake this trek, with no food or belongings and relying entirely on the generosity of those along the Way. The other mural was a tribute to Fr. Don Elias Valiña (pictured with a yellow paintbrush in hand), a priest from this area who is the one largely responsible for the yellow arrows that mark the entire route of the camino, without which many thousands of pilgrims would get very lost every year. He died in 1989 and is buried in O’Cebreiro. He dedicated his life to improving the experience for pilgrims on the Camino.

After visiting the cathedral, we found a pizza place that was open at 4:30! It was the best pizza we have had so far. They use a pizza stone and home-made sauce. So good. They also had the best tiramisu I have ever eaten! We were the only customers at that hour, so we got to chat with the chef who was so appreciative that we enjoyed her food. Such a great meal!

After dinner, I attended the pilgrim’s mass at the cathedral. Praying for strength and patience for the remaining five days. Sarria is where many more pilgrims start their Camino, since you technically have to walk only the last 100km to Santiago in order to get the Compostela. So the route will surely be much more crowded from here on. Less solitude, more chatter as fresh pilgrims eagerly barge the trails. This will prove to be a great opportunity for me to practice my new commitment to non-judgment and tolerance!