Sarria

Dear Family and Friends
First, let me not exclude those who do not live in Canada and celebrate our thanksgiving. I also very much appreciate your love and support. Thankyou for being partof my life.

Festivities for the Spanish holiday continued into the night. I was awakened by what sounded like a canon at 4am. I also understand from my Fr Canadian friend Suzie that there was singing and dancing well into the wee small hours of the morning. A small collision of cultures as pilgrims are early to bed and early to rise. Many of the albergues wake everyone at 6 with gregorian chants.
Although I anticipated sun today, I set out in my rain gear and boots. It proved to be a good intuitive move for there was a light mist when I left my pensione and headed to get some breakfast of hot chocolate and tostadas. (toast) I met Jaime ( the elder Spanish man ) there and had a visit with him. We were going in different directions today because I was heading to Samos to visit the monastery there.
The route took me along the highway for about 4km and the mist turned to rain. There were looming cliffs and a beautiful stream to my left down a very dramatic drop. Eventually the path moves off the road and followed a beautiful path through the woods. It was a very reflective time for me because I had just had a conversation with my family in Summerland ( the village name for a town in the interior of BC)They had all gathered there for Thanksgiving along with Jims Mom and sister and brother-in-law. It was the first thanksgiving I had not been present and I was missing everyone. Also I had some dream images which wanted attention.
I love the lush green foliage of Galicia - very much like BC in many ways. But it seems you are never without a small stream, rather like walking with a friend. Also, the terrain is rolling hills with lots of up and downs. A beautiful landscape for walking.
As I was walking along deep in thought a young man came up behind me and scared the daylights out of me because I was totally in my own world. We started to talk asking each other where we were from. The next thing he said, " and I bet your name is Heather. So out of nowhere someone you have never met tells you your name. This Camino is far too small. It turns out he, from Holland, is (Camino) friends with Vered, the Israeli woman living in Amaterdam. She had spoken
about me while they walked and he felt there could not be too many women walking alone from Vancouver. He was behind Vered because he had tried to get money from the bank machine which ate his card. Being Sunday, he has to wait till this morning to get it back. Apparently there were 10 pilgrims in the same boat. Luckily I could not gain access to that bank yesterday.
We talked all the way to Samos and took in a tour of the Monastery - all on Spanish. There
was one young Spanish man there who translated some things for me. But, it was an education
just to see the artwork, and to feel the peaceful presence of the church.
After getting a lunch of a boccadillo and hot chocolate we headed off to Sarria which was to be another 13km. What we learned later from Pierre whom we met when we took a coke break, the 13km applied to the road. Taking the more enjoyable interior route added another 10km!
This young man had cycled from Holland to St Jean Pied de Port, shipped his bicycle to Santiago,and began walking to Santiago. He then will take his bike to Finisterre, then to Portugal. He was a physEd teacher for students 12-16, but felt he needed some time to discover who he was and what he wanted. He has overcome a lot in his young life and was very impressive to talk with.
Fortunately the last 5km was much quicker than the previous 20. The sun had come out, and inspite of thinking at one point we were taking the wrong direction, we arrived into Sarria
around 4:30.
Joost had learned that Vered had a bad case of bedbug bites and was in Sarria being treated. We had also met 2 South Korean women who stayed at the same albergue and also had bad bedbug bites. A big group of us went out for dinner- 2 New Zealanders, 2 from the Netherland, a Dane and myself. Vared was being counselled by others who had struggled with bed bugs to go to the hospital to get "a shot" to stop the itching and prevent infection. I offered to go with her.
The hospital was very sympathetic and helpful. Vered got her shot and we parted ways for the night. It had been another fascinating day on the Camino. Good night. Heather

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