Nearing Santiago

With approximately one week left on my pilgrimage, I find myself at the foothills of a mountain, on the edge of the Leon Province in the Albergue do Brasil.

How will I feel in one week, when I arrive at the cathedral in Santiago? What transformations have occurred, and what surprises does the camino still hold? Will I continue on the Cabo Finisterre, to the seaside to find a Concha, scallop shell, the symbol of the pilgrim?
From the ambulance ride with Mireille, a French woman who fell down a flight of stairs and gashed open the skin of her eyebrow and cheekbone, at 5:30 in the morning and needed an interpreter at the emergency clinic... to teary goodbyes to those internationl pilgrims who aren´t finishing the trek this year; but take buses, trains and flights back to their respective countries.

Am reading Depak Chopra´s ¨The Seven Spiritual Laws to Success¨, for the second time.

Receiving friendly text messages from friends and family (which are free to receive from you, but please understand they cost me to send out, so I refrain), they bring me wonderful cheer, your simple hello´s.

Kevin lands on the 9th, and we will travel Spain until our Madrid departure on the 19th. Angel and Barb, our friends who live in the Gredo Mountains, west of Madrid, await our arrival. They will host us for three nights. I look forward to the recovery time, and planning time with Kevin. Kevin writes emails daily, with packing and shopping questions. He is very excited to use a passport again, after so many years of being stateside.

A steep mountain awaits for today´s hike, and I have been typing, responding to several emails, and delaying this inevitable departure. The sun will scorch me if I don´t reach the shelter before the hours of siesta! I have already crisped my ears, and now wear a gifted green bandana, from Hector of Mexico.

My cell number, for text messages only please, is 207-653-6256 (and please sign your text message, or I will not know who your are). It does not cost you anything additional, as this is my regular Maine cell phone.