Author: Lisa

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time reflecting on 2025, a year of challenges, adventures, and transformation.

First, the challenges.  My crowning accomplishment, the Camino de Santiago, both challenged and thrilled me.  My body endured and excelled; my mind and spirit rose and soared.  A different type of hurdle, in January, I had cataract surgery on both eyes.  By April, I knew something was not right.  My vision never fully cleared.  Instead, I developed cornea edema, a known complication which occurs in up to 2% of cataract surgery patients.  The endothelium, the lowest layer of the cornea, was damaged.  Since these cells pump fluid out from between the cornea and the lens, I was seeing through a fluid-filled bubble, a condition called pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (PBK).  I saw one cornea specialist who immediately wanted to perform a partial cornea transplant.  Next, I met with another specialist for a second opinion.  She suggested using Muro drops (3X/day) and ointment (at night) to allow the endothelial cells, which do not regenerate, to enlarge and spread out.  We would re-evaluate options every couple of months.  In July, we pre-scheduled, as a placeholder, DSEK (partial cornea transplant surgery) for December 4.  Surprisingly, for both my doctor and me, my eyes have cleared to the point that we are now waiting and watching.  My left eye sees clearly; my right eye has a bit of a “finger print smear” in the outer periphery.  I continue to use the drops and ointment diligently.  Surgery is not fully off the table; for now, though, my vision has improved significantly.

Next, the adventures.  With time to reflect, I re-read my travel blog from this year.  Wow!  I sure saw, did, and photographed many amazing sites, countries, and people.  This year, I’ve been to Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius, France, Spain, Lava Beds National Monument, Portland, Lake Tahoe, New York, Florida, and Catalina.  Cruising, walking, and road tripping – with friends, family, and solo – what a year!  A creative quest, I completed Digital Photography II, an online asynchronous course through Cuesta College, allowing me to stretch and evolve my skills as a photographer.  Now, I’m dreaming about future adventures while, I admit, feeling a bit melancholy.  Combined with my vision issues and turning 66 in January, I sometimes feel wistful when I dream of all the things I want to do, knowing that life is finite and I may not achieve every one of those dreams.  I wonder when and how this time of my life I call “Chapter 5:  Active Retirement” will end.  Then, I look backward and think about all I have done, from raising children, to loving and being loved, to having amazing friends, to teaching and inspiring students, to seeing and doing and being… YES!  I want to go and do and see MORE!  And, I have already gone and done and seen quite a bit.

Finally, the transformation.  When I reflected on completing the Camino, I talked about it being a transformational experience.  In fact, this whole year has been one of transformation.  Physically, my vision has changed.  Emotionally and spiritually, I am moving into the stage of life of enjoying being.  Being here.  Now.  Loving life.  Feeling compelled to do what I can and not sad about not doing what I cannot do.  Accepting while moving forward and embracing life.  Planning while remaining flexible and welcoming.  Relaxing and enjoying while challenging and protecting.  Making the most of being “insignificantly significant.”

The final chapter of my fall travels began once I returned to California. I spent Thanksgiving week with my “grandkids” and their parents, and we decided to turn the holiday into an adventure.

We piled into a rented minivan, drove to Long Beach, and caught the ferry to Catalina Island. Our two days on the island were delightfully full: solving an escape room, playing miniature golf (I proudly won my age category!), touring around in a golf cart, exploring the Botanical Gardens and Wrigley Memorial, and spotting fish from the Yellow Submarine.

After ferrying back to Long Beach, we spent a leisurely afternoon at the aquarium before driving up the coast to Oxnard, where we stayed at a gorgeous resort and soaked in the hot tub under the evening sky.

On our final day, we walked along the beach—highlighted by the four-year-old gleefully splashing in the waves in nothing but his underwear—and then wrapped up the week with a visit to the Santa Barbara Zoo.

It was the perfect way to close out a season of travel: full of laughter, exploration, and so many happy moments.

 

 

 

 

 

In October, my niece married her now-husband during a small, intimate ceremony in Cabo San Lucas. A month later, in November, they gathered friends and extended family in Cocoa, Florida to celebrate the nuptials—and that joyful weekend became the second stage of my fall adventure.

Coming straight from my New York trip, I loved slipping into full family mode: hanging out, walking, talking, and dancing with my siblings, nieces, nephew, and great-nieces. Being surrounded by family—both the one we’re born into and the one we choose—filled my heart. Truly, family is everything.

 

 

 

Several months ago, right around the time I received the “save the date” for my niece’s wedding, a good friend in New York reached out to ask when I might be visiting. The timing was perfect. I decided to turn two separate East Coast plans into one extended adventure, spending a week in New York on my way to Florida.

As always, the best part of the trip was the people. I loved having unhurried time with friends and family—long conversations, delicious meals, and some memorable beverages. Reconnecting with my New York community was exactly what I needed.

In between meetups, I played tourist. I wandered through Central Park, explored the Met and the Morgan Library, strolled Greenwich Village, and walked the High Line. And, I finally visited the Statue of Liberty for the very first time—proof that even after many trips to New York, there’s always something new to discover.

Of course, no NYC visit feels complete without a Broadway show. This time it was Buena Vista Social Club, and it absolutely delivered.

A few of my favorite photos…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting friends and family—wherever they might be—always enriches my life. This fall, my wonderful niece and her terrific husband celebrated their recent nuptials with a beautiful reception in Florida. Since I’d be on the East Coast for the wedding party, I decided to make a 16-day adventure out of it.

I spent the week beforehand in New York, hanging out with friends and family while taking in a few classic NY sights. After the wedding, during Thanksgiving week, I jumped right into exploring with the kids and their parents back in California.

The whole trip was filled with fun, hugs, excursions, love, and plenty of photo opportunities. And yes, it also came with an unexpected souvenir: a brief little cold on my end that decided to extend its vacation with the kids and their parents. 😑

Here are links to the three phases of my Fall Vacation:

For the past two months, I participated in the asynchronous online Cuesta College course, Digital Photography II (ART 249B).  Below is my final project, a series of eight photos distinctly different yet based on a theme of my choice.

Theme:  BLUE

I am drawn to the color BLUE—in clothing, decorating, and ceramics. I also enjoy saturating photos with one dominant hue while reducing or eliminating the saturation of the others. I think it would be fabulous to print, frame, and display a series of blue-themed photos in my home. Therefore, I chose BLUE as the theme for my personal showcase.

Image 1:  My nephew’s girlfriend shows the promise of the future.  Her smile shines, along with the BLUE in her dress.  While capturing this photo (55 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO 640), I focused more on her shoulder than her whole body, using some of the framing techniques I viewed at the International Center of Photography.  For this photo, I set saturation colors at -100 except blue, which is at +14.  I found that since the original capture had multiple colors in the dress, adjusting the luminance of several sliders helped to create depth and texture.

Image 2:  A sunset acts as a reminder that as one day ends, there is the assurance of the next day.  This sunset off Satellite Beach, Florida (18 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 sec, ISO 800) shows the stark contrast between the sunset’s yellows and oranges, now rendered in black and white, and the remaining BLUE in the sky and its reflection in the water.  All colors other than blue (saturated at +100) are saturated at -100. I found that the aqua hue needed to be turned up to +53 along with blue hue at +11 to create the visual effect I favored.  Additionally, I focused on the pier to sharpen the image and added a vignette of -15.

Image 3:  Water is a necessity of life, flowing from the ocean through pipes and ultimately into our homes. This image (55 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 sec, ISO 1600) highlights the infrastructure that delivers this essential resource and emphasizes the interplay of strong light and shadow.  Saturation was again -100 for all colors except blue (+100).  Hues and luminance all remained at 0.  Using AI, the BLUE pipe was masked and inverted, so the background could be desaturated and blurred.  Additionally, to further highlight the pipe, I added -15 vignette.

Image 4:  All life needs water, even creatures as simple as jellyfish.  Captured (30 mm, f/5.6, 1/25 sec, ISO 3200) at the Long Beach Aquarium, this image focuses more on the contrasting black and white of the jellyfish than the brilliant BLUE in the background.  To create this striking image, luminance sliders for yellow, green, purple, and magenta needed to be adjusted.  Sharpening and post-crop vignette were added for clarity and effect.

Image 5:  BLUE can be found in many places, even at the bottom of a wine glass.  Although not as essential to life as water, wine can add enjoyment for those who imbibe.  This abstract image was captured with a very slow shutter speed (55 mm, f/4.5, 1/0.5 sec, ISO 200) and looking deep into a blue wine glass, cropping the exterior of the glass and adding post-crop vignetting at -62.  To create the desired effect, it was important to adjust the white balance and exposure controls.

Image 6:  Another form of enjoyment is hiking to the tops of hills.  On Catalina Island, one can climb to Wrigley Memorial, which is decorated with handmade glazed tiles from the Catalina Pottery plant. This image (55 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec, ISO 800) with its sharp contrast and beautiful BLUES and grays started as an aged, yellowed, and rounded wall.  To create the image from the capture, saturation, hue, and luminance needed to be adjusted.  Additionally, the capture necessitated full transforming, including aspect and x-offset tweaks.  Vignetting at -15 created the final image.

Image 7:  For another variety of BLUES, grays, blacks, and whites, one only needs to look up at a cloudy sky.  The assortment of colors and textures in this image (18 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 sec, ISO 500) demonstrates how vivid an image can be even with the saturation turned to -100 for all hues except blue (+34).  Interestingly, luminance for purple (-49) was needed in addition to blue (+32) to create the visual intensity of this sky.  Sharpening and vignetting (-15) were the final touches.

Image 8:  The Statue of Liberty is an iconic symbol of freedom and welcome.  Shown here in muted black and white, with added sharpening and vignetting, this image (42.5 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 sec, ISO 800) reflects the current struggles for liberty while contrasting them with the bright BLUE of aspiration for the future.  Even with clouds hovering over the horizon (Image 7), there remains the promise of a brighter future (Image 1).

This project challenged me in a myriad of ways!  First, I knew my theme was a bit unusual.  Choosing a color for a theme?  Yes!  How, though, to capture a series of images related to BLUE?  I had to carry my camera everywhere!  It is interesting how much BLUE surrounds us.  It is also true that not every capture with BLUE in it makes a creative and inspiring final image.  With 232 captures to evaluate, I decided to not only rate them (1, 2, 4, 5) but also to label them with colors based on general categories (e.g., water = blue).  This allowed me to select a variety of images for my hero photos.  My next challenge was to utilize Lightroom’s develop tools so BLUE enhanced an image rather than, at times, overwhelming it.  I found that developing many of the initially rated “4” photos quickly allowed me to eliminate most images from my prospective hero collection.  Of course, I ended up with nearly 20 hero photos after my first pass!  Fortunately, I returned to my labeling to discard too many captures in one category, helping me to finalize my eight hero photos.  My next challenge was deciding how to order the images in my gallery, so they make a bit of sense.  If I had settled on a theme such as how to bake a cake, the order would be easier.  For this project, I needed to be a bit more creative.  Also, I want to print, frame, and hang these photographs.  Seven of the photos are horizontal; the Statue of Liberty image was originally vertical.  From the 365 Day Photo Challenge I accomplished in 2024, I know that hanging photos with differing orientations presents a difficulty.  Therefore, I cropped the Statue of Liberty photo to match the others.

In conclusion, the lessons I have learned include being patient with myself, remaining open and flexible, keeping my camera handy, using all the tools Lightroom offers, and, most important, having fun.  By applying these lessons, I will continue to grow as a photographer and create not only representative images but also artistic photographs.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of exploring Lake Tahoe with three friends!  We hiked, created ceramic pinch pots, saw the community theater production of Proof, ate, drank…had a terrific time.

Camera in hand for this adventure!

 
Fall Colors.

 

 

 
Ah!  A waterfall!

 

We saw a few of the smaller lakes and the Truckee River.

 

 

Views from the trail.

 

 

 
Gorgeous Boathouse Theater.

 

Sunset over Lake Tahoe.

 

 

Playing with pano.

 

Ceramic Jack o’ Lantern, which will be glazed and fired in time for Halloween 2026!

 

On October 18, we participated in the No Kings Protest in South Lake Tahoe.  This photo is a reflection of us, along with some of the 2,100 other protesters, from a passing bus’ window.

“Would you like to go to the Dodgers’ game with us?  We have an extra ticket.”

“YES, I would!  Did you know that, in my 20s, I went to over 20 Dodger games every year?”

Thus began my fabulous weekend in Los Angeles with Lara and Greg!

We viewed the Getty Center on our way down to LA.  Then, we watched the Dodgers BEAT – big time! – the Padres 6-0.  On our drive back home today, we meandered around Descanso Gardens, “a botanical garden, living museum, and urban oasis” in La Canada Flintridge, just a few miles north of Glendale where we spent the night after the Dodgers WHIPPED the Padres.

Many thanks to Lara, Greg, Mitch, Astrid, and Dennis for making this fun weekend possible!

Here are a few of my favorite pics from this weekend’s getaway…

Go Dodgers!

 

Descanso Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

There’s nothing like a wedding to anchor a trip!

In 2017, my colleague Kate and I traveled with students to Morocco and Barcelona (“So close, yet so far”), forever cementing our friendship – and our sisterhood.

A few years ago, Kate moved to Portland where she met her future husband, fabulous Chris.

Baby, home ownership, marriage… Time for the big wedding celebration!

And time for a road trip!

Sheila and I packed up Addie for a three week adventure.

We enjoyed a week on the way up to Portland, visiting Lynne and Ken in Petaluma, swimming in Sierra lakes with Nanine, and exploring lava tubes at Lava Beds National Monument.

While in Portland, Sheila and I did multiple hikes and walks, enjoyed dinner with Lauren, Danny, and baby Haddon, happy hour with Tessa, dinner and music with Steph and John (much appreciation to them and their grandkids for dogsitting Sheila during the wedding party!), and wedding events with Kate, Chris, and toddler Penn.

After almost a week in Portland, we meandered toward home, soaking up the ambiance of Florence and the Oregon coast and spending time in Eureka with another former colleague Kate and her terrific husband Chuck.

It was a fantastic way to celebrate love, friendship, and adventure!

A few times, I even used my “big” camera.  🙂 

Sierra Lakes:  perfect for swimming on hot days!

 

 

Miss Sheila Beila resting at our Lava Beds National Monument campsite

 

Sunset – Lava Beds National Monument 

 

 

Inside lava tubes

 

 

 

 

Walking to cave entrances

 

Addie, waiting patiently for me to return

 

Petroglyphs 

 

 

Snake on the trail – Hillsboro/Portland

 

Tree on the trail 😊

 

Oregon coast

 

 

 

Petaluma

About a week after returning from most adventures, I post some reflections on that journey.

Three weeks ago today, I arrived in Santiago de Compostela – and headed back to San Luis Obispo two days later.  Only now am I feeling the pull to put my reflections into written words.

Why the delay?  Could it be because my eyes are still – five months post-cataract surgery – incredibly sensitive to light including from my computer monitor?  Could it be because my body, which held up for 700 miles with nary an ache, now speaks to me through lower back pain?  Could it be spending a full week at Live Oak Music Festival, volunteering on set up and tear down while also enjoying a fabulous weekend of music?

Or could it be because the Camino experience was so powerful that finding the words to express the journey is nearly impossible?

When friends ask me about the Camino, I say it was “transformational.”

Having the time and space to BE.  Just BE.  What a GIFT!  A transformative GIFT!

While walking, I realized that the questions I thought I had for the Camino – topics I felt I might consider while putting one foot in front of the other – were not the questions that the Camino answered.  Larger questions about strength, relationships, purpose…those are the answers that percolated.

I also reflected on being “insignificantly significant.”  Opening my lens infinitely wide, we are individually insignificant in the history of the world and the fullness of the cosmos.  BUT we matter here and now.  To ourselves. To those we love and those who love us.  To our communities – local, national, and global.  Being insignificant in the largest sense does not absolve me from being significant to those around me.

Most guidebooks divide the Camino Frances into three sections:  the “Body” – from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Burgos (the Pyrenees and Basque Country); the “Mind” – from Burgos to Astorga (the Meseta); and the “Soul” – from Astorga to Santiago de Compostela (Cantabrian Mountains and Galicia).
I, though, see four sections, splitting the final third into two pieces:  Astorga to Sarria and Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.  The quantity of pilgrims, especially the large groups of teenagers, makes the final 100km different than the preceding 700km.

For purposes of my blog, though, I’m using our rest days to organize my thoughts!

 

Section 1:  Saint Jean Pied de Port to Logroño 

Although I enjoy walking and hiking, I was quite concerned about the climb over the Pyrenees.  So I trained.  Lots of big climbs, including up Sydney, a local tough hike.  Little did I know that the hike up challenged me less than the slippery and scary hike down into Zubiri!

Stages 1-7: Saint Jean Pied de Port to Logroño

Logroño Rest Day

 

Section 2:  Logroño to Burgos 

Some of the most beautiful scenery!  The photo at the very top of this post is from Cirueña, just outside of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where Minke and I had our first “princess moment.”  Our hotel was less than satisfactory in Logroño and even more disappointing in Najera.  Since there is a parador in Santo Domingo, Minke introduced me to the exquisiteness of paradores in Santo Domingo!

Stages 8-12: Logroño to Burgos

Burgos Rest Day

 

Section 3:  Burgos to León

The Meseta:  A vast plateau between Burgos and León.  A few pilgrims avoid the Meseta for its lack of trees and shade and often stark vistas.  I, however, LOVED walking the Meseta.  The openness, the springtime beauty of the flowers and fields, the time and space allowing one’s mind to wander and ponder….all of it made this part of the Camino a meaningful and powerful experience for me.

Stages 13-21: Burgos to León

León Rest Day

 

Section 4:  León to Ponferrada

This section had one of my very favorite hikes!  Although long and very challenging, the hike from Rabanal del Camino to Molinaseca amazed me with its flowing creeks, blooming wildflowers, and varied terrain.  Less thrilling:  Molinaseca to Ponferrada!

Stages 22-25: León to Ponferrada

Ponferrada Rest Day

 

Section 5:  Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela

Three weeks ago, I completed my pilgrimage from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela.  As Minke and I gripped hands while walking into Plaza del Obradoiro, the home of the Santiago Cathedral, I felt relief, joy, surprise, pride, accomplishment, happiness, gratitude.  Overwhelmed, I burst into tears.  Tears not of sadness but of deeply felt amazement and achievement.

Stages 26-34: Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela

 

A few other posts I made on this journey…

Paris: Pre-adventure

Saint Jean Pied de Port Meandering

Obituary: Camembert Francis de Santiago, date of birth unknown, date of death April 29, 2025

Finisterre Celebratory Rest Day

We walked to the “End of the World!”

Well, kinda sorta.  

Minke and I walked from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela.

Heather joined us from León to Santiago de Compostela.

Kayla walked with us from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.

We four took a bus to Finisterre, called the “End of the World”!  There, we celebrated our accomplishment!  

Smiles, tears, hugs, stories, laughter…all of it!!!  We are Camino sisters.  Forever. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

 

Best dinner:  In Villafranca del Bierzo, we stayed at La Llave Guesthouse, owned and operated by former South Carolinian, Jeff.  Not only did he warmly welcome us and share his experiences on the Camino and buying and creating this relaxing space, he made us a FABULOUS dinner!  Grilled Moroccan vegetable salad with mushroom risotto!  One of the very best meals we’ve enjoyed on this adventure.  Villafranca itself boasts a river, friendly plazas, and sites aplenty – definitely a place to stay more than one night.

Most foggy morning:  In O Cebreiro, we woke to fog blanketing the mountaintop.  Both beautiful and eerie, the walk started differently than many other mornings. 

Best cheesecake:  We ate the most delicious cheesecake in Filloval!

Most amazing new life:  Out of Sarria, we noticed a cow eating something that didn’t look like grass.  It was afterbirth!  She had just given birth and was devouring the placenta.  We watched, mesmerized, as the cow cleaned up from the birth and licked the limp calf.  Finally, the calf stood and searched for its first meal. New life!

One of the most beautiful forest trails next to a river:  On our way to Sarria, we were fortunate to walk in a forest next to a flowing river surrounded by the sounds of water falling.  Perfection!

Best bed:  In Arzúa, we had the pleasure of staying at Lar da Mota, a gorgeous guesthouse with the absolutely most comfortable beds!

Most meaningful Sefirot:  While pondering how to turn this oftentimes Catholic/Christian pilgrimage into a Jewish spiritual experience, I realized that my Camino coincided with Counting the Omer.  Two of the three most holy days on the Jewish calendar are Passover, when the Israelites left bondage in Egypt, and Shavuot, when Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.  During these 49 days, Jews may reflect on their lives to improve themselves, their communities, and the world.  This year, the Omer period began just a few days before I left for the Camino and ends a couple of days after I return.  I found a wonderful document which offers a prayerful reflection for each of these 49 days.  Often with my Camino sisters, I would share each day’s prompt.  While walking, we would sometimes discuss our personal reflections based on the prayer.  Other times, we would reflect privately and hold our thoughts within ourselves.  At the beginning of the final week of Counting the Omer, I read the following excerpt, written by Rabbi Shifra Tobacman.  It spoke to me so powerfully – a summation of the Camino itself – that I stopped walking, asked my Camino sisters to join me, and read this passage to them – with tears flowing:  “When we invoke awareness of the Shekhina during the last week of counting the Omer, I like to think that we are grounding ourselves for receiving whatever wisdom or insight will make its way to us, whatever personal Torah is ours to learn. We listen to the world and to the people around us, and we listen for the still small voice within that reminds us of… something … whatever that something is for each of us, whatever that something is that we need to glean, or ask, or know – whatever it is we are needing to receive as we approach Shavuot, the pinnacle of our seven-week journey.”

Best day:  Absolutely, the best day was when we arrived in Santiago de Compostela!  I will share some of my thoughts and reflections when I get home, but I think this video, recorded by Kayla, sums up my experience and emotions.

Below are Relive videos from our final days of walking the Camino de Santiago.

Stage 26:  Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo (17 miles)

 

Stage 27:  Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreiro (18 miles – two videos…tracker stopped in Las Herrerías…)

 

Stage 28:  O Cebreiro to Triacastela (15 miles)

 

Stage 29:  Triacastela to Sarria – Kayla joined us in Sarria ❤️!  (17.5 miles)

 

Stage 30:  Sarria to Portomarin (15.7 miles)

 

Stage 31:  Portomarin to Palas de Rei (16.7 miles)

 

Stage 32:  Palas de Rei to Arzua (19 miles)

 

Stage 33:  Arzua to Amenal (15 miles)

 

Stage 34:  Amenal to Santiago de Compostela (11 miles)

 

Although for this section of the Camino, we “only” walked for four days between resting in León and now in Ponferrada, the four days took us from the flat quiet Meseta to the mountainous varied Cantabrian Range.

A treat for Minke and me:  our friend, Heather, joined us in León!  She’ll be walking the rest of the Camino with us. ❤️

Here are a few of my reflections and thoughts for this section…

Being Jewish on the Camino:  For some, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela can be a Catholic/Christian experience.  For me, it is a Jewish one.  My Judaism is innate in me; it is part of my essence.  There are a few ways I’m personalizing this Camino into my own Jewish experience.  One of these is to find Jewish symbols, stories, or artifacts wherever I can find them.  The opening photo is from León’s Plaza Mayor.  Shaped in the form of the Iberian Peninsula is a small brass plaque with the Hebrew word Sefared, the Jewish name for Spain, marking the original Jewish barrio in León before the Jews were expelled in 1492.

Most welcoming hospitality:  Camino Ways booked us into a beautiful renovated flour mill, Molino Galochas in Villavante.  Mercedes, the hostess, greeted us with a hug, a glass of wine, and a snack.  Her warm welcome, along with her gorgeous home, created a sweet respite.

Story with greatest connection to Martin Sheen and the movie The Way:  Mercedes told us about Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, and Emilio’s son, Taylor.  While they were filming The Way, Taylor met his now wife, Julia.  Julia’s mom is one of Mercedes’ best friends.  The cast and crew from The Way enjoyed their stay at Molina Galochas as much as we did!

Part of me I’m not leaving on the Camino:  The Camino challenges pilgrims to reflect, think, and consider…whatever comes to mind while walking.  It is so much more than just a “walk!”  With the time and space to connect with oneself and one’s Camino community, there are many opportunities for growth.  A part of myself that I cherish and will not leave on the Camino is “Mama Lisa.”  Mama Lisa represents my nurturing, caring, and empathic traits.  I thought of this yesterday at the Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) at one of the highest points between the towns of Foncebadón and Manjarín.  Seeing someone I met at Molina Galochas, a man around my age who was walking with his 28 year old son, I saw the man become quite emotional when he put a stone at the cross.  When he approached where we were standing, he looked tearful and sad.  I said, “May I give you a hug?”  He accepted and thanked me, with another hug, later that day at our lunch cafe.  On the Camino, many people come for the adventure and the allure of walking for many miles over many days.  Others come for some deep personal reason.  I love hearing others’ stories and have many times offered a hug, which has been frequently and warmly accepted.

Best prayer for the Camino:  The Shehecheyanu, a Hebrew blessing recited in Judaism to express gratitude for being alive, for being sustained, and for having reached a special occasion or moment.  At times of joy, surprise, and pleasure, this powerful prayer speaks to me.  I have recited and sang it many times on this journey.

Best hike:  Although long and very challenging, the 32 km hike from Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada amazed me with its flowing creeks, blooming wildflowers, and varied terrain.  We climbed from Rabanal del Camino to the highest point of the Camino, up about 1,200 feet to nearly 5,000 feet. From there, we descended over 3,000 feet to Ponferrada.  The slate and rocks made for a treacherous descent.  Thank goodness the weather cooperated!  No rain and cool temperatures!

Here are my four videos from this section’s stages.

Note:  Our next rest day isn’t until we complete the Camino in Santiago de Compostela.  We only have nine more stages…

Stage 22:  León to Mazarife (15 miles)

 

Stage 23:  Villavante to Astorga (18 miles)

 

Stage 24:  Astorga to Rabanal del Camino (14 miles)

 

Stage 25:  Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada (22.4 miles)