Day 28 - Samos to Barbadelo - 20 km

I had a very peaceful sleep last night considering I was sharing a room with about 50 other people. My expectations of what I would consider necessities of life are getting lower all the time. I walked passed the immense monastery in the dark this morning, which I'm told was built between the 9th and 15th centuries, and searched for the familiar yellow arrows to get myself headed out of town in the right direction.

The 1st half of today's walk was along a peaceful river path up and down hills and past one ancient farm house after another. George from Rhode Island took this picture of me beside the old farm equipment. I can count the Americans I've met on one hand and I feel privileged to have met George. He will be joined by his wife in the next couple of days and they will finish the Camino together.

In the village of Aguiada I stopped at a cafe where several Peligrinos were gathered. They were talking to one particular Dutch fellow who I had seen before and for whom I had formed an opinion that he was a bit of a kook. He was sort of wild looking and usually had a silly grin on his face. Today I discovered that he has been walking for 5 months from Amsterdam. Someone asked him, "what is one thing you have learned". He said, "that I must live for this day and can't predict what will happen tomorrow. I am a rich man because I have time to walk and can sit here now in this village in Spain. Others say that time is money but they are wrong. Time is life". I thought about what he said as I walked.

I don't know what time it was when I reached Sarria because I have stopped caring about the time as I walk. Sarria is the starting point for many Pilgrims who would like to receive the Compostela. It is a touch commercial and one can buy Camino stuff everywhere. Every major city has their own unique way of marking the Camino path. In the picture above you see the path marker for Sarria. The symbolism of the scallop shell is that all roads lead to Santiago. When I reached the centre of Sarria I was not too impressed with these 65 steps. (yes I counted them).

I walked on from Sarria to Barbadelo where I met up with new and old Camino friends at this very beautiful Albergue. I share a room with only 7 others and it is extremely clean and comfy. During dinner with George, Paddy and Jutta I was sharing with them the Dutch walker's words of wisdom when George said, "Catherine, I'll tell you what I've learned on the Camino. The longer I'm here, the better women's calf muscles get." We all had a laugh about George's Camino philosophy and proceeded to discuss other inappropriate topics such as men walking around in their underwear in the Albergues. Not one of my favorite sights!