hello
today i was so excited to call arthur and wish him happy birthday. alison kindly told me his birthday was yesterday. but that it was ok because he was having a birthday weekend.i felt terrible. thank god he is young. i thought today was friday. i am so removed from life that the days merge, but that´s not the reason i got arthur,s day wrong.i just did.
we are definitely walking in galicia now. it is really more than hilly, i´d say these are mountains.switchbacks had not been invesnted when these paths were made. they are pretty steep. and today the sky was grey, feeling like it could rain at any moment, but didn´t. i stopped to draw a picture of a wall, and suddenly i heard music like a flute. i thought oh stop that. flutes playing in the woods? as i walked out of the woods and into town it was clear that a priest was saying mass over a loud speaker outside. it is the feast day of their patron saint. that seemed more normal to me somehow.
still i walk alone. ruut ( the correct spelling of the man from holland) and i cross each other on the way all day long, we both like to leave in the morning when it is light. he stops and thinks often, i just walk and take photos. i am sure i am thinking, but nothing organized. he passes me, i pass him, we say see you later and go on.then the 5 or 6 that are familar with each other have dinner at night.
nina, not nita, is the mother hen of our group. she makes sure we are all happy and fed. she is the most lovely woman. she is 67 like me and has a 34 year old daughter like me and a 6 year old grandson like me. her husband is great too.
yesterday and today the villages we went through are for the most part deserted. there is an elderly woman in black in almost each one, or a man with a hoe in his garden. each one has a chuch that isn´t open. the bells are silent. most of the adobe-brick homes are falling down. looking at these homes, you can see the bones, the hand cut wooden beams, and the carefully placed stones, all dry construction on the foundation and it seems like the homes were carefully, proudly built. now all that is left are the roses, big red roses among the fallen stones and timbers. i would like to know what these villages were like 50 years ago.we walked along grassy paths between falling stone walls all day. then down a huge hill and back up and then we are here, in pueblo de sanabraise or something like that. it´s big. it has stop signs. and a bakery and many bars. i bought a cd of galician music. it is so haunting, like this entire day.
one small complaint, i have two guide books and one app on my phone for this route. they are all pretty much useless. thank god for yellow arrows and helpful villagers or i wouldn´t be home for thanksgiving.
tomorrow we walk about 10 miles with one huge hill, then the next is a 20 mile day, up and down. i am about 170 miles from santiago,i love this part so much. i hope it continues to enchant me.
happy happy birthday sweet arthur. i love you. oscar and jude, have fun at the birthday party. i love you too. goodnight.
mom, mary, nonna
today i was so excited to call arthur and wish him happy birthday. alison kindly told me his birthday was yesterday. but that it was ok because he was having a birthday weekend.i felt terrible. thank god he is young. i thought today was friday. i am so removed from life that the days merge, but that´s not the reason i got arthur,s day wrong.i just did.
we are definitely walking in galicia now. it is really more than hilly, i´d say these are mountains.switchbacks had not been invesnted when these paths were made. they are pretty steep. and today the sky was grey, feeling like it could rain at any moment, but didn´t. i stopped to draw a picture of a wall, and suddenly i heard music like a flute. i thought oh stop that. flutes playing in the woods? as i walked out of the woods and into town it was clear that a priest was saying mass over a loud speaker outside. it is the feast day of their patron saint. that seemed more normal to me somehow.
still i walk alone. ruut ( the correct spelling of the man from holland) and i cross each other on the way all day long, we both like to leave in the morning when it is light. he stops and thinks often, i just walk and take photos. i am sure i am thinking, but nothing organized. he passes me, i pass him, we say see you later and go on.then the 5 or 6 that are familar with each other have dinner at night.
nina, not nita, is the mother hen of our group. she makes sure we are all happy and fed. she is the most lovely woman. she is 67 like me and has a 34 year old daughter like me and a 6 year old grandson like me. her husband is great too.
yesterday and today the villages we went through are for the most part deserted. there is an elderly woman in black in almost each one, or a man with a hoe in his garden. each one has a chuch that isn´t open. the bells are silent. most of the adobe-brick homes are falling down. looking at these homes, you can see the bones, the hand cut wooden beams, and the carefully placed stones, all dry construction on the foundation and it seems like the homes were carefully, proudly built. now all that is left are the roses, big red roses among the fallen stones and timbers. i would like to know what these villages were like 50 years ago.we walked along grassy paths between falling stone walls all day. then down a huge hill and back up and then we are here, in pueblo de sanabraise or something like that. it´s big. it has stop signs. and a bakery and many bars. i bought a cd of galician music. it is so haunting, like this entire day.
one small complaint, i have two guide books and one app on my phone for this route. they are all pretty much useless. thank god for yellow arrows and helpful villagers or i wouldn´t be home for thanksgiving.
tomorrow we walk about 10 miles with one huge hill, then the next is a 20 mile day, up and down. i am about 170 miles from santiago,i love this part so much. i hope it continues to enchant me.
happy happy birthday sweet arthur. i love you. oscar and jude, have fun at the birthday party. i love you too. goodnight.
6 comments:
Arthur's birthday party was great fun. The kids were all delightful.
Your walking on your own seems so interesting. Thank you for posting, even she you are unsure people are reading. We are.
Are they really gnat bites?
Barb
It's great to read your posts, mom. This area sounds so beautiful. Did you know I had a friend in grad school who is from Galicia? I wish I had thought to see if he was on your path! xox
I love your pictures. Can hardly wait to you return to see them all. I love your thought about to walk not alone but on my own is freedom. I love you.
Hi Mary - I'm getting anxious for your next post. It's been a while. Hope the days are sunny and your walking company suits you to a T. love, Pat
Haha! Don't rack your brain wondering who "Patty" is! That slipped out. It's from Pat, your neighbor!
Dear pilgrim friend. Thamk you so much for sharing -Its like being back.
Buen camino and please come by Denmark on your way home.
Love you
Luna
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