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)