Halfway there!

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So, the fact that I was not in a city with an internet cafe until today should give you all a little picture as to what type of surroundings I´ve been walking by. I´ve seen the most gorgeous landscapes-from rocky beaches to farm covered hills-and have been passing through and staying in the quaintest little towns along the countryside. I apologize because I´ve seen way too much to descrive in a travel blog, but I´ll give you guys the best picture I can as to what kind of experience this is.

You sort of get into a routine after a few days: Wake up around 6am (or 5am if some idiot puts his alarm on the loudest setting possible), pack your bag, eat a fruit or a granola bar, then just walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. My favorite time to walk is in the morning, before anyone in the houses we pass are awake. There´s also an eeriness to walking so early, as the sun is rising-especially in Galicia where it mists every morning. Plus, the weather is much cooler. At times, of course, my whole body is killing me and I´m trying my hardest not to think about it. But the majority of the time, you just get into this rhythm. Your legs just keep pumping and you go. Along the camino, to find our way, we have a guide book, ask locals, and follow arrows and tiles of sea shells that point the way. It´s like a scavenger hunt!
So once we arrive at our destination, you walk into the albergue (sorta like a hostal but only for pilgrims), claim a bed, shower, hand wash the set of clothes I wore that day, hand them out to dry, then relax... And that´s the routine.

I´m very grateful and lucky for the people I´ve met on the camino, as well. Whitney and I are a part of a little camino family. All of the people I wrote about earlier and us have become so close. But it´s not a typical relationship. We´re sort of part of the same group but defintiely keep our independence in that we walk separately, going at our own paces. But once we arrive at the destination, we all reconvene and talk about the day and life and drink a lot of wine. Last night we all made dinner. Yesterday, one of the family members, Kay from Germany, even saved beds for all of us at the albergure because it only held 12 people. How crazy is that!?

Anyways, I think I´ve talked too much. If any one is keeping track of me, I´m in Mondañedo today. We got our pilgrim stamp (to prove that we´ve been walking the camino) at this baller cathedral. We asked a priest that was inside if we could get one and he busted out one of those enormous metal medievil keys, unlocked this giant metal door, and brought us into the sacramentorium (I think that´s what it´s called-I´m Jewish...). It was like the backstage office of this 12th century Romanesque cathedral (I only know that because Whitney was an art history major).
Oh, so we changed our plans a little, we´re actually going to pick up the pace (do a few 40 km days) and walk to Finisterre then back to Santiago before Saints Day. Finisterre is the most western point in Spain. Pretty cool.
Ok, now I´m done.

Hasta Luego!

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