Thank you,
🎵
Song of the Day
“Rise” – Eddie Vedder
A gentle, grounded anthem for a day that quietly brought direction, decision, and a sense of personal pace.
📖 Follow the journey at www.AngieForSunflowers.org
🌄
Camino Day 13: A Beautiful Day of Getting lost twice
Today started gently — walking out of the village at half past six, a quiet stroll through the sleeping streets before the sun had even bothered to show up. The first part was peaceful, uphill, walking with a scattered group of pilgrims, no drama, no magic — just simple Camino steps.
And then… the city.
You know me and cities. We’re not friends.
It was a beautiful city, admittedly — castles, courtyards, cobbled paths. I’ll post the pictures. But I got myself well and truly lost, wandering around for a good 35 minutes in complete tourist mode. Enjoyable? Sure. Frustrating? Definitely. It took another half an hour of wrong turns and backtracking before I found the Camino markers again and rejoined the Santiago trail.
That’s where I met Ethan and Kiera — two Americans walking together. Ethan is 40 and walking with his younger sister, which I find deeply moving. We shared stories, steps, and conversation for a couple of hours until we reached the next village, where Yvonne was waiting.
Coffee with Yvonne was rich and thoughtful. We spoke about the book I’m writing and about grief — she lost her father recently. It’s strange how the Camino keeps nudging these grief conversations into place without forcing them.
Then came Lost Episode Two. This one was oddly poetic.
Yvonne and I were walking alongside a beautiful river path, chatting away like old friends. It felt exactly like where the Camino should go — gentle river, dappled light, conversation flowing. But… it wasn’t the Camino. It took two elderly gentlemen coming up from the river to wave us down and gently let us know: “No, no, amigos — the Camino is over there, far away.” If they hadn’t said something, we would’ve wandered completely off course. That little scenic detour added 2 more kilometres to our day — unplanned but memorable.
Eventually, we reached the little village of Cacabelos, where I’ve checked into a quiet, very decent hotel. After a lot of reflection last night, I realized that I absolutely love walking and meeting people — but sharing bunk beds and bathrooms? That’s maybe one Camino step too far for me. So I spent the afternoon booking my accommodation for the rest of the journey. Just one more night in a bunk bed, and then the rest are private hotel rooms.
I’ve also limited my walking days from now on — mostly between 20 and 25 km per day, with just one unavoidable 30 km day. It means I’m finishing my walking around 1 PM every day, which feels just right. It gives me time to rest, reflect, and write — not just walk.
After a good nap this afternoon, I’m heading out now to find some octopus for supper. Apparently there’s a place here in town that does it well. We’ll see.
Oh, and Ethan wants to interview me later this week — an interesting guy, thoughtful and kind. I’ll let you know how that goes.
Not a dramatic day. No big breakthroughs. Just another quietly beautiful day on the Camino — with a few scenic detours, warm conversations, and a growing sense that I’m walking my own way now.
📍Location: Cacabelos
🚶♂️Distance: ±23 km, with two scenic detours
🕊️Mood: Settled, amused, quietly determined
