Day Five

Covering 15 miles, with steep hills at both the, beginning and the end of the day, we knew the walk from Betanzos to Bruma would probably be our most challenging day. It was and it wasn’t.My body is feeling strong and I’m happy with the pace we set. Hills might be hard, but we each have our strategies. Lisa marches on while I count steps… 100 steps, or 50, or (bizarrely) 39, then pause to stretch and breathe.We had more company on our walk today. As we walked out of Betanzos, other pilgrims poured out of hostels and coffee bars. We all exchanged the traditional greeting of Buen Camino as we walked into the soft dawn, already starting to climb.Once again, we walked through forests and fields, stopping once for coffee, which is always served with a snack of the proprietors choice. And at each stop we get our sello, a unique stamp in our credencial (the Camino passport we carry to identify us as pilgrims).

We pass lovely gardens with colorful flowers, old fashioned farmers working in their fields, and tributes to St James and the pilgrims who are walking to his cathedral.

We are well past the halfway point of our journey, and the steep climbs are behind us. After months of worrying about today’s walk, tears flowed we arrived – imagine what I’m going to be like when we arrive in Santiago in a few days. I’ve been waiting for that moment for more than 10 years now!

And at the end of our day? A steaming bowl of Caldo Galego and a glass of local vino tinto!

5 thoughts on “Day Five

  1. Kimberly and Lisa, I am so enjoying your camino journey postings, both the gorgeous photos and your succinct posts. I think I will spend some time today simply gazing at the red and white flower you send — rather mind-boggling in its beauty. And seeing your labyrinth on the beach, Lisa, was another joy-filled moment. Thanks for sharing all of this.

  2. I continue to enjoy living vicariously through your posts…enjoy the journey! What a fabulous feeling knowing the steepest day is behind you. Love to both of you ❤️

  3. What a joyful walk with you just now and big relief to have the steepest day now behind❣️ I love the pictures —— again; thank you ever so much for including me/us with you I am loving this walk with you especially because I never brought the Camino into my reality and now here it is —-things don’t always appear as we expect but they do appear

  4. Enjoyed! and that the steep climbs are behind, you did it!! Journey on now and look for places of “Wonder” (interesting how we take our word “wonderful” for granted and miss the “Wonder”!) till next XO Nydia

  5. I’ve been enjoying the richness of Lisa’s pictures and now, your blog. I feel very blessed to be traveling with you.

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