talking our walk: I have walked

Psalm 27:13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Yes, I did manage to "walk the last 100 kilometers" into Santiago.

Yes, I have my certificate in Latin (too bad my names does not have a Latin equivalent)

Yes, I am still sorting the walk experience out and think I may be doing it for quite some time.

After arriving in Santiago we went out the next day to Finisterra the actual 0.0 km point of the camino. We were again reminded of the Celtic roots of that are of Spain. The hills and barrenness of the 'end,' the power of the ocean waves crashing upon the rock, the wind blowing so that one had to touch the other to get one's attention because no one could not hear reminded both of us of Achill island (minus the rain and cold we experienced on the island).

looking East across the Atlantic @ Finisterra

Rick & I at Peace Pole

Seeing the peace pole (this was the first peace pole located in Spain) reminded us to ask blessings on those at home who pass our peace pole every Sunday and give thanks for their blessings asked for our safe journey.

Just crossed over this roman bridge

Portugal - Cork tree

Camino even travels under grapevines

More than just 'walking' the camino, this trip was an experience of the history and cultures of the areas we walked through. Walking the ancient roads, paths and byways allowed for the time to really see and hear and feel the life of creation; not just we pilgrims and the people we came in contact with, but the flora and fauna which make this area a vital living piece of creation. To see and experience the care with which these peoples continue to companion plant and rotate crops, allowing the land to continue blessing them with beauty and nourishment for millennia. Each meal we ate was graciously presented and consisted of fresh vegetables from those same farms we had just walked past!

Just one of the many gardens we passed daily

One memory I'll cherish is the incredible hospitality of Fernanda as she opened her kitchen

Rick & I with Fernanda

and presented us with more food for lunch than I have seen on some Thanksgiving tables to sustain us in our journey: salad fresh from the garden, roasted potatoes just dug that morning, grilled chicken prepared by her father from the ones that had awakened him just that morning, verde vino decanted from her own barrels into pitchers we passed and shared with one another, all offered with a smile and a blessing on each of us for our 'buen camino'. Walking with the small group of pilgrims I know encouraged me to keep putting one foot in front of the last as we walked slight inclines and just around the curves...being greeted with "BOM DIA' each morning as we tried to wake up and encourage each other that we did it yesterday we can do it again today. Whether it was sunny, misty or downright pouring we all managed to make it to Santiago as the sun shone down on us, letting us know - walk well done!

I leave the camino with memories of the birds singing and chirping, metal windmills clanging to 'scare' the birds from the fields, church bells pealing as we walk into the valley, dogs barking hello and go away, cars honking wishing us buen camino, the stamp received from the patrolman as we stopped by his car in the middle of the camino! I also leave with HOPE as I work for a sustainable world for all. Encouraged with the experience of the camino where I witnessed the the respect for one another and the respect for the land that CAN nourish all, I saw the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.