Day 31 Rabanal to Acebo

Km traveled, 17, although 20 on my pedometer. Elevation covered today 400 meters, 1200 feet up and 300 meters down, which is much harder on the toes and knees.











Today I climbed up the mountain to the Cruz de Ferro. I prayed for the boys in my family with my steps... John- Brian-Eric-Lucas and the Jim - Frank- Bill- Chris, was my chant of the day.
There is a giant wooden pole with a cross on the top. This is the place in the movie The Way where you leave your rock or something from home and pray for something that has been bringing you sadness or depression in your life. For me, I am blessed with a wonderful life. There are things that bring me sadness though. One thing is the fact that I have some relationships in my life, that no matter how hard I have tried to maintain them, they have slipped away. This is not only with friends, but it is also with family. I am a person who calls, and tries to keep up with others, but there are many who are not like this. I am letting this go, here and now, and I need to learn to be accepting of how much people can, and are willing to give. I also need to realize that people are busy with their lives. I also need to accept the fact that people are in your life for a day, sometimes just a moment, a week, a month or a lifetime. Any amount of time spent with another person is a blessing.

I also spent time here praying for a more complete release of the disappointment and bitterness I still have about my divorce. I never have had closure from this major event in my life, and I must accept that I will probably never receive an apology, or the closure I have wanted. I must accept and completely free myself from Gene, and be completely free to accept and trust the wonderful life I have with John. The perfect life and family wasn't perfect. And I am so much better now.

I have wonderful, wonderful children, who have all married really great people, whom I love as my own children. I love those kids and grand kids so much....

It's so cool to be sitting here on top of this mountain recording these thoughts on my iPad, I am really loving this thing..

Now complaint of the day. Why do people in a communal bunk houses insist on waking up at 5 am and turning on flashlights, waking everyone else? Yikes, who gets up at 5 to start walking in the dark? Not me, I'm a 6:30 kind of gal. Since I was up, I started walking before 7, and don't want to finish my 10 miles before 11.. I also wore my tennis shoes today. Seeing how my toes do, and so far, pretty well.
I left a shell from my beach at home on the mountain, it seemed the fitting thing today.






The gravely, Stoney track of today. It was a very hard day.


I am settled in Acebo, all is well and I will sleep soundly tonight, I am sure.



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Day 30 Murias de Rechivaldo to Rabinal del Camino

17.4 km traveled, about 9.7 miles. 250 meter, about 750 foot climb.
Tomorrow... 350 meter climb.
Today I walked pretty quickly, leaving at 7 am and getting to my albuergue at around 11:30. Not bad, if I do say so myself!
Though countryside was flat starting out, and was so pretty.




There are lots of rocks along the trail, and I often come to arrows, or hearts decorating the road..




In a little town called El Ganso, there is a cowboy bar, kinda funny, although here in Spain, they are called caballeros.
Here is the cowboy bar




The trail the went uphill, but was still very pretty.
I ran into a couple of old friends
Jeff from San Francisco, he's actually coming home the same day as me, and on the same flight from Madrid to Miami




And Minor from Japan who I've bumped into again and again. He's staying at my albuergue tonight.




Here are some pics of the albuergue today.




Those racks are for drying clothes, and will be filled by mid afternoon..with people's washing.




When I spoke to andrea yesterday, she suggested that I dedicate my 2 upcoming mountain climbs to people that I love. So today's and tomorrow climbs are dedicated to the important men in my life. John, Brian, Eric, Lucas and my brothers Jim, Frank, Bill, and Chris. I prayed for all of them on the way up, and will continue to pray for you tomorrow.
My feet are bad again. I lost my big right toenail yesterday, I've been expecting that for about a week. And I have blisters on 2 of my toes...
Spoiler alert
Pictures of my bad looking feet, coming up.








Sorry but i need sympathy, and since most of our feet look similar, there is no getting sympathy from fellow pilgrims. i also have blisters on both feet on the outsides of my heels. Ive been dealing with bad feet from the beginning so i am used to it. i keep them as clean and dry as possible. i also have dressings and duct tape I apply each morning.
Although my feet are bad, my knees feel good today, probably because I went a bit shorter today. My goal of the day is to really look at my pack and see what I can get rid of. No problems with my back though, although I suspect my pack is at about 16 pounds.
That's all for today, I want to thank you all for your continued comments and support. Each comment makes me feel so good inside.
My love from Spain,
Joni
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Day 29 Hospital de Orbigo to Murias de Rechivaldo

Yesterday evening was so fun. We ( i hung with a couple from nebraska) went to the medieval games and had a great time. Below are some pics from the tournament.








This morning I set off to Astorga, where the museum of chocolate is. Chocolate throughout Europe originally came from Astorga.
Today, I walked with 2 Americans.. Scott from Georgia, and Jeff from California. It's nice walking with others, it makes the time pass quickly.
These are some of the sights we saw on the way.




This camino man who people decorate,




And David, who is a man who lives and sleeps on the camino. He provides snacks and juices on a donation basis. He sleeps by the camino, and for the last four years he has done this.
When he runs low on supplies he walks to the nearest town and calls for a delivery. He has no car....nothing, just a friend of the camino.








We then came to Astorga. There was a beautiful big cross there at the entrance.




I visited the chocolate museum today, and bought some.




Today i found out that the reason that they are having many festivals in Spain is because it is the catholic feast day of Corpus Christie. This is a big deal in Spain. In Astorga there was a parade of many children dressed in their finest, all of the girls in white. Their were many priests in the parade, 2 bands and they were carrying a large crucifix on pedestal.












It was a good walking day, I walked a little farther than I've been, but tomorrow, I start up the first of two mountains, so will go only about 16 km but climb 255 meters, about 750 feet.
I am feeling good!!!!
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Day 28 Villar de Mazarife to hospital de orbigo

14.1 km about 8.5 miles. Elevation rise o feet

Today is Saturday. And I started out my day walking along a country road, coming to an albuergue named after granddaughter #1 Lucy. I had a delicious pan chocolate there.






After leaving that town, I came upon a herd of sheep. That was fun...






I then came to a little town, hospital de orbigo.
There is a long bridge there and the story for this bridge goes like this. I n the year 1434, a noble knight named don suero de Quinones was scorned by a beautiful lady. He threw done his gauntlet and his honor to any knight who dared to pass as he undertook to defend the bridge and his honor. He did this for one month, and 300 lances were broken. He then proceeded to Santiago to offer thanks for his freedom from the bonds of love and the restoration of his honor. This is how things went in 1434....
Here is the bridge, which was also traveled by Napoleon



So when I got to town, I had about 3 more km to go, but there was a big festival going on, and I decided to stay here.
Here are some pix of the festival parade








Here is a Spanish family who are dressed up, and allowed me to take their picture. Reminds me of my own kids and grand kids.


And here is some of the food. All looked so yummy. And was delisioso!





Some of the peregrinos dressed up


And here are kids having a pony ride. It's the same all around the world!


I have realized that the world is a very small place, and that I am one small cog in the wheel of life.
I had a nice FaceTime chat with Andrea, Brian and John yesterday and today. My feet are healing, my knee is twingy, nut working well.
No complaints, I have showered, done laundry and all is well with the world.
Have a wonderful Saturday everyone, rest, and enjoy life...

Day 25 Sagahun to Leon

Distance traveled 46 km by bus,  about 27 .6 miles. Slacker pilgrim day and days ahead, but I have decided to give myself a break. Feet need to heal. 

Today I took the bus into Leon. Tonight, I am staying in a monastery for the night. This albuergue is run by the Benedictine order of nuns. It is immaculately clean and divided into sections. Women, men, and couples. Nice. I just had a nice lunch with a pilgrim I have met before, Jenny, a nurse educator in Singapore, and Anna, a retired banker from Italy. Spring is finally starting to come to Spain there are flats of flowers being put out for sale for planting, and the weather is starting to warm up. This morning when I left sagahun, it was about 45 degrees, and now it feels mid 50s. Better. 

I have included a couple of pix of my bags I keep in my pack. I have 2 clear bags. One for clothes, and one for everything else. I also have a sleeping bag, my raincoat, a pair of flip flops, and a light pair of tennis shoes. It all weighs about 15 pounds. I would like to get rid of some of it, but I truly use everything. Also below are some pics of arches in sagahun. Sagahun was a town which was built by the Romans. Charlemagne was there, and the monastery was a focus of Arab invasion. 

All very interesting. 

I am doing well, feet are in bad shape, but I am planning a couple of days rest and that will be good for me. 

Day 24 Ledigo to Sahagun

Distance traveled about 18 km around 11 miles elevation increase was about 50 meters, basically gently rolling hills.
Today was a good day. My legs remain tired from my very long day yesterday, but I slept well. Heard from others that I was snoring....

Rolling hills walk today, and the countryside was beautiful. I have developed a new blister on my right heel, and applied compeed to it and drained it. My right second toe is now an issue... Gonna lose what is left of the new toenail. Oh well. As it goes.
The saying on the camino is that the first third is physical, the second third is mental, and the last third is spiritual. I am definitely still in the mentally hard part. Wondering why this was important to do, and not really knowing why. My life is in good shape, I have no major mental issues with my kids, John, my sibs or anything else. I do still feel that I have hang ups over my divorce, but that was 10 years ago... Those feelings have been at bay for a while now.
My feet are a mess again, so I think I might hang out here for a day and then take the train or bus into Leon. My hotel reservation is not until Thursday. The other option is to bus ahead and then walk into leon..I think this is what I will probably do. It's would skip me up around 37 km, about 24 miles. Saves my feet.. Then I would walk about 10 km tomorrow, and 10 into Leon on Thursday. That actually sounds ok...
Today was the official passing through the first half of the camino. There was a big pillar marking the spot so 240 miles done 240 to go, oh my.....all I can say is that I will do my best.
I feel proud of myself for being able to order food and find places to sleep without crying or getting too stressed out. The things I worry most about is going into the big cities and obtaining lodging, and also the transport systems. I don't speak the language and they don't understand me. Good thing is though that I look Spanish, so that is helpful. And the people want to be helpful. So all is good.
Until tomorrow everyone! Please keep up your prayers and good wishes, I can feel them.
The last picture is of the fences they have put up here in sagahun for the running of the bulls this weekend.