Camino Sunrise

In 2019, I rode up O Cebreiro on a horse. In 2021, I walked. This year, I came up on wheels! So, this is an O Cebreiro post. I didn’t walk today – other than the three miles just roaming around this little, ancient village. It’s full of albergues, gift shops, restaurants, and at least one hotel. People are often put off by the commercialism here, but I enjoyed exploring, reading the history, reuniting with pilgrims and meeting new ones.

I attended evening mass and a beautiful after-mass pilgrim blessing – read in seven languages from volunteers within the pilgrim gathering. If you find yourself in O Cebreiro, it’s a special pilgrim experience.

Fun note to my south Texas friends – I had a rousing good time at a table with four men from Matamoros and a woman from Australia. The guys were pretty excited at running into someone from Corpus Christi. To the rest of you, Matamoros, Mexico is only 165 miles south of my hometown. We had lots of stories to swap.

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Sorry. That’s a Facebook link and I can’t seem to delete it

The highlight of the day was finding David, but here are a few photos from the day.

Most of the path between Trabedelo and Vega del Valcarce was walking beside the busy road behind a concrete barrier. However, there were stretches of beauty if you moved your sight and thoughts from the concrete and listened for the Rio Valcarce as it made its way through the river rocks. And if you watch the woodland to the left rather than the pavement to the right, you’ll soon almost forget the road is there.

In 2019, I got sick. A kind man offered me a fig and brightened my day immeasurably.
In 2021, I found him at his home and gave him a photo I’d taken in 2019
In 2025, I found David and gave him a photo of the one I took in 2021. David is now 92.
This is a most wonderful The Kindness Of Villagers story. Here is the link from my 2021 blog.

https://caminosunrise.com/the-kindness-of-villagers

Blue skies! About 2.5 miles of walking a narrow path beside a road. Ugh. I took an alternate path that ran parallel to the official path, but happily, it was the low road – not big hills like on the main path. Met women from Missouri and California. Just enough- but not too much – visiting and laughter. Three course pilgrim meal with a glass of wine. €16.

More blue skies and sunshine. Temps low 50s – mid-60s. Rolling flat walk & just a small bit of side-road walking.

As a reminder, the Camino de Santiago is a network of routes all leading to Santiago de Compostela. You see old church photos in my post because the routes are medieval and lead through current-day old towns and always by a church.

The pilgrimage began in the 9th century, after the discovery of St. James’s tomb in Galicia, and became one of medieval Europe’s three great pilgrimages, alongside Rome and Jerusalem.

A day of long, slow ascents and descents. Blue skies and sunshine. Temps in the low 50s – mid 60s. Who could ask for anything more!

Today was to be the walk up to Cruz de Ferro and down to Molinaseca. I’ve walked it twice and consider the rocky, steep descent one of the most difficult on the Frances. I decided to heed Camille Weber’s edict of “Don’t Break the Grandma” and skip it this time. So, I had a leisurely day in a delightful accommodation, met a few pilgrims and enjoyed a wonderful Brazilian meal with twelve enthusiastic pilgrims.

One thing I find interesting- most of the music I hear is American from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Not translated to Spanish, but in original format. I asked a restaurant host in A Coruña if this was because of all the tourists, and she said, “ No. We just like the music.”
The cab driver yesterday, who spoke no English, sang along to the American music in perfect, unaccented English.
I made a quick note of some of the songs I’ve noticed this past week.

Bob Dylan Like a rolling stone
CCR proud Mary
John Denver. Poems, prayers and promises
Aretha Franklin
The Monkeys. I’m a believer
Stand by me
For What it’s Worth Buffalo Springfield
CCR Have you ever seen the rain
Ain’t no sunshine (I know, I know, I know) Bill Withers
Jumping Jack Flash Rolled Stones

Today, I had an eleven mile stage planned, but I’ve discovered, that although I can grind that distance out, it serves me no spiritual, emotional, or physical purpose to do so. Easier for me to say since I’ve already walked this path twice than if I was facing my first time on the Frances. So, I hopped a taxi part way to make a shorter stage.
Today was clear and cool. Perfect! In Rabinal, I met four women and we had a grand time. Wine and laughter, then a service with monks and their Gregorian chants, then dinner.