Camino Gratitude Portugal

I set out before dawn on the 9-mile journey from Picaraña to Santiago de Compostela. Since my itinerary includes returning to Santiago in four days, I opted to move swiftly through the city and continue onward toward Negreira, adding another 13 miles to my day’s pilgrimage. Despite arriving at the albergue after 2 pm, I was fortunate to find an available bunk bed waiting for me.

The first three hours of my daily Camino walk typically include prayer, meditation, and silence. After rewarding myself with a coffee and chocolate croissant break, I either engage with fellow pilgrims or listen to podcasts. Today, with so few pilgrims walking toward Finisterre, I indulged in a music jam. I found myself singing aloud and dancing along the path, truly an exceptional day of music + walking. Today’s playlist favorites included Sade, Tracy Chapman, The Police, Miles Davis, and Bob Marley! A touch of homesickness washed over me while listening to Sixpence “Kiss Me”— reminds me of Colleen! I heard Taylor Swift sing, “I keep cruising, can’t stop, won’t stop moving.” Walking 22 miles accompanied by outstanding music always lightens my journey!

As the day drew to a close, I encountered Bartek from Poland and Frederick from Belgium. Bartek had been walking for an impressive 123 days from Szczecin, Poland to Santiago de Compostela. He’s quite the conversationalist, weaving multiple narratives simultaneously! Frederick, a writer, travels in a compact camper in search of compelling stories to document. We ate a late lunch of delicious fried lamb ravioli!