One of the things that travel does is to help you to learn…learn to adjust and adapt; learn to let go and embrace; to name just two. You get to explore a new culture which helps you appreciate yours and maybe also criticize yours. You are exposed to new foods and customs.

Oh my what a travel day we had yesterday! After 12 hours of travel we finally made it home. There was work being done on the rail line between Rozendaal and Goes so we had to take a bus which was a major mess up!! (Fill in what ever words you want!)

We struggled the whole time in Portugal and Spain to eat before 20:00. We finally got home around 20:20 and tried to order some delivery…it came at 21:30. A bit late but we were hungry. And we ate most of it. It was good.

An observation: Water and hydration are so important while hiking. We decided that every time our smartwatch told us we had completed a kilometer we drank water. But while traveling home we were not so diligent. So we have decided to keep up our water drinking by setting an alarm every 20 minutes to remind us to drink water.

How do you remember to stay hydrated? And what other tips would you recommend or like to know about hiking long distances?

Last night we had dinner with some other American pilgrims. It was a fun and lively evening of conversation and laughter. Madison had just flown in from the states and I don’t know how she kept her eyes open. Sadly Larry had flight troubles and hadn’t made it to Portugal yet. So we didn’t get to see him.

We had a most lovely vegan breakfast this morning and totally experienced the Portuguese hospitality that everyone talks about which we hadn’t really experienced.

Some more reflections: Restlessness and waiting. Something I have learned on camino is to slow down. The frantic pace of life does not bring joy. And it’s not a race.

On the other hand walking day in and day out can create a restlessness. It’s hard to sit still. Your legs are wanting to get out and move. It’s important to take rest days and even days off. But your legs and heart and mind and spirit will tell you something different. So it’s hard to pause or wait patiently for when you can walk again.

Consequently on our last day in Portugal we decided to explore the coastal route of the camino. We’ve walked about 5 kms and are still in town stopping for a rest, beer for Noël and a Coke Zero for me! I found this way more peaceful than the central way. I highly recommend it if you are planning to walk this way.

We met this couple who were just starting out. They are from Virginia. We had a very nice conversation with them. Buen Camino!

We made it about 8 kms on the coastal route and 6.5 kms back into Porto. So we made a big loop. it was very very warm but a good day.

Now relaxing before coaching and dinner. Hope your day is going well. And that you find time and space for what you enjoy.

First some more reflections: first impressions can lead to assumptions. On the camino it seems you have more of a chance to overcome those first impressions because of constantly running into the same people over and over. Maybe your first meeting was simply a nervousness on the part of the other pilgrim, or they were contemplating what they want to process on their camino, or they may not be feeling well.

What a difference it would make if we got curious with the people we meet about what is going on with them instead of making assumptions.

One of the things the camino brings out in people is vulnerability. I know this is a difficult word for some people, it can be scary to open yourself up to others. But the day in day out grind of walking leaves one vulnerable physically, emotionally and spiritually.

It is so important to ask for help. This is true in life on the camino as well as every day life. Also ask others if they need anything. Is there anything I can do for you?

And now some photos from exploring Porto today. I got to meet a friend of a friend who lives here in Porto. Then we walked to the cathedral and around a bit. It’s very warm here today so relaxing a bit in the cool before going to dinner with some friends from the US.

Porto is a beautiful city and we look forward to exploring some more tomorrow along the coastal route of the Camino Portuguese. More reflections tomorrow.

We had a quiet afternoon and evening on our last full day day in Santiago de Compostela. A thunderstorm came through which sent pilgrims running for shelter. I wish I’d have gotten photos.

Noël loves feeding animals whenever he can. He’s been feeding the pigeons every chance he gets. Sometimes with dirty looks from servers. He doesn’t seem to mind.

We went into the church. It was in between services. We wandered around and saw St James casket and hugged the apostle. The cathedral is quite ornate and very peaceful. They tell you as you enter no photos and shhhhh. I have to admit when the guard at the door tells you to shhhh…It works. It was very quiet with beautiful music playing.

We were pleased to have breakfast and drinks and lunch with fellow pilgrims. All telling stories of experiences along the camino. We laughed and cried at the shared experiences.

Finally we said our goodbyes and are having difficulty expressing in words our feelings. This way brings you in contact with people you see day in and day out. You share the journey, meals, your own stories and the joy of getting to know and love these amazing.

I have to say that even though this is my 5th time entering Santiago de Compostela the raw emotions and feelings keep coming. And as we greeted friends coming in and said goodbye to others and then finally took leave of Santiago de Compostela the tears came with all the feelings. And the tears were filled with joy and sorrow. Joy that we have a whole new community of friends, the amazing experience of everything we have accomplished and endured, and the difficulty of saying goodbye. I prefer to say “so long” because I believe our paths will cross again.