Well, I’ll never really know what the town of O’Cebreiro looks like! I left this morning with the same mist and cold and wind from the night before. A bit daunting heading out in the morning in those conditions. While I was safe and had no trouble following the way marked path of the Camino, it felt a bit threatening for some reason. All morning I couldn’t see much of what was ahead of me or surrounding me. No distractions of beautiful scenery or cows (which I could hear, as they wear old fashioned bells around their necks!) or other wildlife. Just me alone with my thoughts. I tried to take advantage of the lofty physical heights to think lofty dreams and thoughts about what I might be able to do in the future. Not sure if any of what came to me will work out, but it was fun to take the time to take a wider perspective, while my physical perspective was so limited.

I was jarred back to reality by a lovely moment. As I walked through one of the previous towns, I was just thinking how sick of seeing us pilgrims the townspeople must be. The busiest time on the Camino is the summer, and now that the season has wound down, they must be ready for some peace and quiet. Well, in the next town (!) I was passing by a barn full of cows, and a Spanish woman with her hair covered with a scarf was standing there with a plate of food. As I passed, in some universal language of body language and words, she offered me the food! That will teach me to assume others’ thoughts and perspectives! How kind. Should I have taken her up on the offer? I now wish I had in a way. Perhaps I would have gotten to know her a bit. Still, I will not forget her gracious generosity to one of the thousands she sees each year…

The mist began to lift and there were spots of blue sky as I ended my walk. Like the day I entered Villafranca to a parade, I entered Triacastela (there once were three castles here, now gone) in time to witness another parade — of cows. How they keep their hoofs from slipping on the wet rocks is a marvel. Another worthwhile spectacle welcoming me into town!