Rabanal del Camino/ Molinaseca

Dear Friends and Family
There was no weefee available last night, so was not able to make a post. I did not say anything on my last post about my feet, and feel I should because we walked 27km that day and then another 27km today. I must say they have been real troopers, though it is very different from the beginning. We have many conversations now and I consult my feet on these long treks. On that former long day, I did stop several times to air,Examine, massage and occasionally cream my feet. Also, for the last 4km I changed into my sandals which made them very happy.
Many times I have been reminded by a favourite miller childhood story called "Theres no such thing as a dragon". Billy tells his mother there is a dragon in his room and mother tells him there's no such thing as a dragon. Several times she repeats this as the dragon continues to grow until it takes up the whole house. The last scene shows a small dragon on mothers lap and she says she doesn't mind dragons this size and she couldn't understand why he had to grow so big. In Billys childhood wisdom, he says he thinks the dragon just wants to be noticed.
A wonderful metaphor for many things, and certainly for my feet. It's a relationship like any other- we all want to be noticed and respected, and now I respect the deeper wisdom of my feet
even when my will/mind wants to take over.
Astorga was a beautiful town and I left later than usual yesterday morning. The moon was just a sliver. It was cool as the sun rose to reveal a tree lined street splendid in fall colours of orange and gold. Our path was beside a path where many teams were out for their morning run.
I stopped a couple of times to have a tortilla and tea, then a bocodilla and coke for lunch. Marie caught up with me a couple of times, but I was having a very pensive day. I was reflecting on why I was doing this Camino.
One reason was that I wanted to trust the wisdom of my body and to be guided from that place. And my feet certainly have been helping me along with that one. In fact at one point I stopped and put on my sandals- we were feeling very free and the sun was glorious.
But there is also a reality in my life that I have had a lot of difficulty in honouring myself and claiming my own authority in my life. It has led me to seek out many things and become a bit of an eternal student. But of course those achievements are in large part external; as well this lack of belief has kept me from putting myself out in the world- almost a fear of being judged.
As I was walking along the trail, the valley opened up to reveal a large swath of purple heather in bloom. As I walked along more and more became apparent. It was almost overwhelming, but I was transfixed by the magnitude of it all. It extended as far as I could see and beyond. The scene said to me, there is heather in all it's/your glory. Not in a narcissistic way, but in a graphic honouring. And I felt I took it in in a new way in every cell of my body. It was an amazing recognition for me that brought me to tears. It also struck me that I did not have that same recognition when Margo and I were in the highlands of Scotland but then I was in a very different place this time.
Then the path narrowed and we walked along a protected path beside a wire fence. All over the fence were crosses made out sticks and decorated with mosses, leaves, heather and all sorts of creative presentations. The walkway must of extended for 1-2 km. And the fence was covered with these little altars. An honouring of human connections- of tributes, prayers, love, loss, hope. This Camino is much more than a religious journey even in a Holy Year. It is about soul. Of what is truly important in peoples lives. And because it is a long journey involving each persons body, this path is about embodying soul. It Gives me a great deal of hope for our world and our humanity. I stopped to place a few of my own crosses for friends and loved ones.
Today was a very rich journey and U appreciated the solitude.
A special dish of this area is called Cocido Maragato - a topsy turvy dinner with the meat course first followed by vegetables then soup. Encouraged by my Brazilian friends I decided to try it. The meat was all sorts of pork- feet, ear, knuckle, hock- all well cooked and very tasty- but enough to feed an army. I ate my fill then took the rest to some south Korean friends who delighted in it. The vegetables were cabbage and chick peas and the soup like a pale chicken noodle soup. I'm happy I tried it, but once is enough.
I had dinner with a woman I had crossed paths with many times, but she spoke french in such a quiet voice I didn't have a lot of confidence in communicating with her. I learned she is SwissAllemagn and has just retired as a social worker. We got on famously and had lots of laughs together.
I started out early this morning in the dark and in the rain. It would be another long day- 27km and rising to 1500m then back down to a steep descent to Molinaseca. As I started to climb I realized I needed to tale off my inner jacket so I decided to stop at the next appropriate stop. I could see a tree up ahead then saw something that made me laugh. Tied to the tree was a swing- with with red seat. I took off my pack and looked closer at the seat and it said,"play!". I got on the swing and laughed and laughed. I pumped so I went higher and higher - and looked up at the sky through the branches. It was the best! I felt it was a gift just for me - it couldn't be more appropriate. My grandchildren would have loved to see their Nana swinging... I thought of that many times today and laughed. It was great. This is some Camino.
With the rain getting harder I eagerly arrived at the first town Foncebaden only to discover they only had tostadas (toast) to eat. Still it was warm and the tea tasted good. After this I arrived at the Cruz de Ferro - a place where pilgrims leave stones they have brought from home and also messages, altars, and many rejected boots. It apparently was something the celts used to do- place stones as a way of appeasing the mountain gods and to ask for safe passage through the mountains. Astrid- my Germanic Swiss friend from the night before - and I walked to the Cruz de Ferro, then along down the mountain. The path was slick and rocky. Astrid chose the road solely. I wove on and out of the trail, but after afancy ballet move
chose the roadway for some distance. It was hard on the body and pretty uninteresting with the exception of there being once again Heather plants, bit this time big bushes 2-3 ft tall and covered with new growth and many ready to bloom. It continued to warm my heart. But lest I get heady on its meaning for me alone- in German the very same flower is called "Erica!".
In walking down this never ending 10km to the next town, I walked with another French Canadian from Quebec City named Marise. I certainly seem to be destined to speaking French, but have to say Im loving it and can actually carry on a conversation now - half intelligently at least. I have to say everyone has been very generous with their acceptance of my stumbling.
Back on the trail we eventually arrived at El Acebo and found all sorts of friends from the trail drying out and enjoying delicious warm soup, hot chocolate and chocolate muffins. Good for the endorphines!
Back out in the rain it was to be a long 9km to Molinaseca with a steep descent. I had no idea how challenging it was going to be. I was "skating" on the mud, then walking down riverbeds, fording streams over logs and watching my steps on the rock beds. Except it was the most amazing and pleasurable 9 very difficult km. I followed a group of Soith Koreans I have seen off and on since St Jean. A couple, though mainly the husband sang arias for the full 9 km. An extraordinary experience. Beautiful this Camino. And the scenery was stunning.
Molinaseca is a beautiful little town and Im in a friendly little inn with a heated radiator. It continues to rain but I am very happy.
Now to dinner. Heather



The pathway down the mountain was very rugged and slick.




Today I started early in the dark and the rain. It was to be a long day climbing to


Scotland where there was lots of Heather blooming. But then I suppose I was in a very
different place within myself this time.
Then the path narrowed and we walked