Day 31 - Las Herrerias to O Cebreiro

Today, all we had to do was climb a mountain. The mystical O'Cebreiro.

The distance we had to cover was only 8.3 km, but with a 700 metre rise. We didn't want to get there too early, but we didn't want to do the climb in the heat. So we got up and went to breakfast so as to make sure our bag was in the lobby at the required time of 8am.

We didn't figure this out in advance, but we passed through two towns on the way up, breaking the walk into three sections of 2.8km, 2.7km, and 2.8km, respectively.

We set out at 8:55. The weather was cool and nice. We started out on a road but soon turned on a lovely trail through the woods. Lynn would have liked to see the mountain in all it's majesty to awe at the challenge before we started to climb, but we never got such an opportunity. For the entire Way we were always walking either in the woods or along the edge of a cliff with a road cut on the other side about 4 metres high completely blocking your view of what was coming. Maybe that was for the best?

The first stretch was in the woods along the rio Valcarce with numerous waterfalls and rapids. Very lovely to listen to and see. The climb in that section was 270 metres and we got to the first town, La Faba, at 9:40 and met up with Kevin and Erica having a coffee. We trudged on, worrying that if we stopped all of the necessary body parts we needed to keep moving would seize up. Kevin told us as we went by that it was 1km to the next town.

The second stretch climbed 300 metres and this time we had sweeping views of the surrounding mountains and valleys below. It started off being a very heavy mist (not raining but there was precipition in the air) but soon it was sunny and the view was stunning. We thought of Genesis and the wonder of God's creation, but we know that this landscape has been carved out over eons, and humans have only inhabitated the earth for a very short period of its existence.

As we neared the second town of La Laguna we met a procession of cows being driven to pasture by a farmer (who cleverly brought his horse along to ride back up the hill). We were all on the same narrow path along the side of a cliff, with his dogs running around herding the cows and barking a lot. Right in front of me the farmer smacked a cow who decided to stop causing two other cows to lock horns, which really got the dogs going. I was about a foot away from all this trying to make myself really small. The dogs got the two cows under control in a real hurry and they passed by down the hill. That was a bit of excitement!

I looked at my watch and it was 10:20, and I wondered how it could have taken that long to do 1 km. A quick check of the guide showed Kevin had gotten the distance all wrong.

On the third stretch, we were in the clouds and couldn't really see anything. It was a mere rise of 130 metres so quite easy. The next thing we knew we were at the top, and it was 10:45.

We found our hotel but the room wasn't ready and our suitcase wasn't there, so we had a cafe con leche. We were both freezing in our totally drenched t-shirts and shorts. Russ had his fleece in his backpack, lucky, but Lynn stuffed hers in the suitcase in an attempt to keep the weight of her backpack down. Raincoat to the rescue.

We went to the church, and sat in there for awhile listening to heavenly music, praying, then sight seeing. When we came outside Kevin was just arriving along with James and his whole entourage. They used one of his friends as a Camino arrow.

We went over for a photo op and to see what they were planning to do. Russ mentioned that James was just three short of having twelve disciples. They all carried on, so we have probably lost them for the rest of the trip. Buen Caminos were wished all around and before leaving Lynn took James hand and said 'sorry for your loss'. He said 'I hope everything turns out well with your daughter'. I just wish we could have added a feather to his staff.

O'Cebriero is a major tourist destination, with large buses full of sightseers and souvenir shops. We dutifully went through them all, but are saved by having no where to put anything.

We went for lunch and ran into Rosa, our classy Spanish peregrina friend. This was very lucky because she helped us order lunch and more importantly fill in our new credentia (which is all in Spanish). She was supposed to have a reservation in the hotel we had lunch in but that somehow fell through, and she was very annoyed and spent most of lunch calling all the other hotels in town on her cell phone. She was looking forward to reuniting with the Canadian ladies tonight. She also told us she had almost quit the Camino a couple of nights ago because she ran into bed bugs. The Canadian ladies had told her of our experience (we're beginning to think everyone knows of our night in Villadangos!)

We were both freezing, and our hands numb. After lunch we went and checked into our hotel. The bag still hadn't shown up. This is the room from hell and Lynn is imagining she sees bed bugs everywhere. Of course they don't come until dark. The bed at least is in a cover and the cover is covered by a sheet. We'll see.

Prayer Of La Faba

Although I may have traveled all the roads,
crossed mountains and valleys from East to West,
if I have not discovered the freedom to be myself,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have shared all of my possessions
with people of other languages and cultures;
made friends with Pilgrims of a thousand paths,
or shared albergues with saints and princes,
if I am not capable of forgiving my neighbor tomorrow,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have carried my pack from beginning to end
and waited for every Pilgrim in need of encouragement,
or given my bed to one who arrived later than I,
given my bottle of water in exchange for nothing;
if upon returning to my home and work,
I am not able to create brotherhood
or make happiness, peace and unity,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have had food and water each day,
and enjoyed a roof and shower every night;
or may have had my injuries well attended,
If I have not discovered in all that the love of God,
I have arrived nowhere.

Although I may have seen all the monuments
and contemplated the best sunsets;
although I may have learned a greeting in every language
or tried the clean water from every fountain;
if I have not discovered who is the author
of so much free beauty and so much peace,
I have arrived nowhere.

If from today I do not continue walking on my path,
searching far and living according to what I have learned;
if from today I do not see in every person, friend or foe
a companion on the Camino;
if from today I cannot recogniz hime God,
the God of Jesus of Nazareth
as the one God of my life,
I have arrived nowhere.

Summary - a nice walk, easier than expected, with spectacular vistas.

Distance today - 8km
Distance total - 639km