Our last stop...O Pedrouzo

We started the day in the dark as usual with the Aussie twins Pat and Sue, Greg and Melody and all our backpacks.  John almost got run over by a biker as we were taking pics of the sunrise. We have had to have much patience with them as I'm sure they have had to have with us.

We stopped along the way for an egg bocadillo made with cheese, tomato and Jamon in this little place where the people were so supportive and helpful just because you were a pilgrim and so close to the end of the line. Nice to be in that kind of energy. John and I both felt the emotions of watching the pilgrims file in and knowing they were at the very same point in their journeys that we are.  This waystop was kind of like a biker bar with shirts hanging all around and sentiments written on every square inch of free space.  One in particular touched me and the tears that flow so easily now are certainly apparent.

"Do not keep your shell. Throw it in the ocean. It is the old you. You are supposed to die with your shell to be transformed. Your Camino starts when it ends. This is the esoteric meaning of the Camino. Ponder on this.  You have walked the Milky Way from the old to the new." Colette ...and I just noticed it was written this year on my birthday!!!!   The Camino moments never end!!! Wow.

We walked into O Pedrouzo sort of confused as to where the town proper was but saw our friends Greg and Melody waving us down from a cafe up the street.  Made our way there and no sooner than we got our beers to mull over our accommodation options than they were telling us they had made the decision to continue on another 20k into Santiago tonight!  This was after already walking over 20k!   John, caught up in the excitement said he would do it if I was up for it......  Knowing in the back of his mind (and probably from the look on my face) that it would be a stretch for me, he presented  a scenario that was more personally appealing.  Get a place, grab a bottle of wine and possibly cook our own food and relax.....now that sounds better to me than walking into the evening.  John is a fantastic Camino partner.! By then Greg and Mel were already down he road....buh bye.

Made our way to the first pension, that had a fantastic kitchen by the way, checked in to our private room, showered and walked to the amply stocked grocery down the street.  We bought some chicken breast, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, garlic and fresh asparagus and thought a stir fry would be great since the abundance of fresh veggies in the pilgrims meals is not very......  We also got a tomato, those wonderful Spanish olives and white asparagus for a nice salad.  Oh don't forget a bottle of white and a bottle of red.....

When we returned to the hotel we saw our buds Ken and Elise who were also checked in here and asked if they would join us for dinner which they readily agreed to.  They brought another bottle of wine and an amazing ice cream dessert.  We had a memorable time that night. One I won't long forget.  We are trying to make these moments last, knowing we walk into Santiago tomorrow.  Our long pilgrimage will be over. Bittersweet indeed.