When I left Albergue Jacque de Molay I had one of those first thing in the morning thrills of freedom. The day was wide open, and exciting. I love that feeling! Zing! My legs felt strong, and everything I had was on my back. (Well almost everything. My daypack in the vestibule waiting for Jacotrans.) I wonder why I don’t feel it more often. It must be all the endorfins. 
The Camino followed the Autovia for most of the day. I enjoyed the huge directional sign that pretty much described my Camino 3.0: Burgos to Leon!
We also passed out of Palencia and into Leon. The way marker looked like it predates the Autovia.
I love the layers of ancient and modern along the Way.
A little farher on, I ran into Tami again. She had ended up at the other Albergue in town for the night. (There are less than 100 people in the village. The Albergues are the only businesses.)
It was good to see her, and we walked all the way to Sahagun together. We’d only met a few days ago, but it felt like I’d known her a long time. She and I were comfortable saying hello and good-bye, and wordlessly knew when to give each other space. We both wanted to experience the Camino solo, but enjoyed each others’ company. She had walked the whole Camino multiple times. The rigor and beauty of the Camino challenged her and gave her peace, as it did for me.
Her more evangelical vocabulary of faith was different than mine, and yet we talked about God and I enjoyed her perspective. She talked about “knowing Christ,” and it made me think, “do I know Christ? I strive to follow him, and worship him, but do I know him?” Thought-provoking.
The last few kilometers to Sahagun were tedious. The Camino wound through a lot of indescript and abandoned houses with “se vende” signs. Just as I was going into “grind it out” mode we came upon a spot that had a strong spiritual energy.
It was a like a place out of time: a little Roman bridge that crossed a fast-running river. The weeping willows were leafing out and there was an ancient (locked) chapel on the other side. We stopped and took pictures.
There’s that saying that pets cross over “the rainbow bridge” when they die. I wonder if I’ll cross over one of the many beautiful bridges on the Camino when it’s my turn.
One Footestep at a Time 
This entry strucka particularly meaningful chord, although I am not sure why. Thank you, Beth, for the gift of sharing your journey. Xox
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OK. Bunkie o’mine…Boomer, where the heck are you now?! Livin’ la vida loca in Madrid? Leavin’ on a jet plane for home? Racked out in some wierd-ass Alberge, in the middle of God alone knows where? Pardon my lingua but you (of all people!) know me … & know I say it all with the greatest of love… H E L L O ?
XOXOXOXO
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I’m now in Madrid…at the Prado! Thinking of you, and all our hours in museums together. The audio guide is nothing like having an Art History major by my side.
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Someday, I shall go to the Prado. Someday, I shall visit the Hermitage. Someday, I will see Venice & Florence & Rome. Someday… So many more world class museums & cities to see & less time left with every year that passes…
Short term reality, this Sept I will visit the Isabelle Stewart Gardner and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts too! One more tiny stage in my personal Art History major’s version of a “camino!”
What’s your favorite in the Prado? I’m going to guess… Maybe an El Greco?
Love you Bunkie!
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What an absolutely delightful idea, crossing to the afterlife {whatever it may be) across such a wee, remote, beautiful, serene, antique Roman arch bridge! If I can’t cross the rainbow bridge with my critters this would surely be my choice too!
Synchronicity alert! The May issue of National Geographic came today & the final article is about….you guessed it, “Walking the Way!” Like all their end-of-an-issue pieces it’s fairly short, only 9 pages and 7 of those are photographs, mostly no where near as good as yours. Michael George walked the Camino in the summers of 2012 & 2013 so it’s possible you crossed paths. One of his photos reminded me of a photo you took, I think during Camino 1.0, of a rack of pilgrim’s boots. His photo is too straight-on whereas yours was a more raking angle shot. The boots in your photograph were clearly well-worn, hard-worn even, wet and muddy.T he boots in his are all pretty darned clean & tidy; new-looking in fact! Mr. Geroge’s piece starts off with a rather ugly photo of his right foot; no wonder his toes are battered, bruised and taped if he walked the Camino in what look like Tevas! I kept thinking, “Oh, Beth could have done this piece so much better…”
Ah well… Love you, looking forward the next post and the wrap-up posts too!
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