It appears I am on top of the world, like I am 5000 feet above the hill where Julie Andrews sings "the hills are alive, with the sound of music"!!!! Yes, that's it!!!! I have a vista that looks out for miles and miles, from O'Cebreiro, an enclave tucked into the a moutaintop. The few pilgrims here ask "what time did we get in" and how did we find it in the dark--- I explain we got lucky---
So now it's morning, and the albergue in O'Cebreiro was OUTSTANDING-- about 6/7 people in a room with 100 beds, so plenty of space, but even more important it was heated!!!! And warm-- so sleeping was great (last night in Villafrance I had the sleeping bag zipped up around my head!!!-but that place, those people, and their homecooked meal will always be a fond memory for me--did I tell you Kelty is staying there--at the albergue the family runs in Villafrance--yes, she has decided to stay for as long as it seems good and help out around the albergue welcoming the daily flow of pilgrims--kelty, the 21 year old Canadian--going with her flow on "her" camino!!!!
Okay, so it's morning in O'Cebreiro, and its freezing but the sky is BLUE!!! Headband ear muffs, ski gloves, jackets zipped, orange fleece fully engaged--i'm ready for what is advertised as a "downhill" walk after yesterday's up up up hill!!!
And the wind is howling, and I'm thinking what do these folks do when it snows-- they don't go anywhere --but if I counted right there are 10 houses and 5 bars!!!!! So I think they are ready for winter when it comes--
And we start our walk and back to the vista's, the views!!! They just don't stop-- and about halfway thru this day I realize that todays walk, on paths, past the perigrino monument, above all the valleys below, is truly the most picturesque walk on my entire camino--- that's it, today is the #1 picturesque day!!!!! And the weather to make it so, because if its cloudy and snowing or rainy then the views and the day, and my enjoyment of them, is different--
They say the weather in northern Spain hasn't been this dry, this lack of rain, in 50 YEARS!!!!! I wonder who that pilgrim was that time!!!!!
And now we are close to today's destination, but we run into a group of about 20 students who are studying tourism from PonteVedra, Spain!!! And me being an American is unique and interesting and so the conversation starts!!!
And they are walking the camino for one day and one night as part of their class--- people tell me this part of the Camino gets frequented by the "weekend" walkers--- okay, and now here is a second group of students not connected with the first, and now I'm a bit worried the albergue's will be full in TriaCastella-- and sure enough, when they get there they ARE FULL- so Pepe and I and a few other pilgrims are in the pension for the night-- warm shower so no problem!!!!
And the day comes to a close, and we are closing in, and getting near, the highlight of the trip---
I mean, there are some beautoful views and the physical natural beauty is quite something, and I did see leaves during the walk, too!!!!
So, this camino has it all, but I am wondering more about whether one can see between the lines, in between each word, for the things I can't express with words--
I'm not sure how to say it, other than there is so much here that words just can't, won't capture---
That's the part of the Camino I continue to unfold----it's just about adding up the totality of it all and knowing that what I was, who I am, and where I've been and where I'm going are all so different now--hey, I know, it's just walk!!!!
Well, I'll try and remember that--
From Samos, Spain, sitting on a brick, next to the Monasterio de Samos, with half of Saturday behind me, and a glorious, blue sky and of course, sunshine on my shoulders--
Looks like I am leaving the mountains, but I don't go by the book anymore-
One foot in front of the other!!!
Peace
TT
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