Regarding rest days…when I first began planning this Camino a year ago, I figured that a rest every 7-8 days was plenty. A classic case of “you don’t know what you don’t know”. As it’s turned out, a rest day every 4 days or so is quite perfect for me. I’ve gotten over feeling guilty about that (hey, I’m 58 with arthritis in my knees and ankles!) and it’s one reason that I booked a return flight home that has the option to change the date. The point is to walk 500 miles across Spain, not to purposefully suffer while doing so!

So, today’s scheduled rest day was perfectly timed. I’ve been dealing with at least one massive blister and several other smaller ones. But, the magical blister potion that the farmacia sold me back in Fromista seems to be helping!

Loneliness is definitely a factor right now! The Camino amigos that I made during the first week are all spread out, as we each hike our own pace and have our own travel schedule. Some have open ended plans and are several towns behind me. Others have to be back home in a couple of weeks and are way ahead. I’m sort of in the middle, and trying hard to embrace the solitude. Maybe that’s the next lesson that the Camino is trying to teach me…to be OK with just the sound of the birds, and the breeze, and the clicking of my hiking poles, and my own thoughts. To listen for Wisdom and direction.

I do admit to a bit of wandering around town today (a rest day doesn’t mean completely sedentary!) And, it continues to be remarkable how the “Camino provides”. I really needed to find an ATM, and a Farmacia (I’m singlehandedly keeping the ibuprofen industry afloat), and an optical shop to repair my very pricey but somehow fragile prescription sunglasses. I thought I was out of luck for a few days since very little is open on the weekends. But, I surprisingly was able to locate all three in this town, and they were all open. Missions accomplished!

I visited the Monasteries of Santa Clara and San Zoila, as well as La Iglesia Santa Maria del Camino. All in all, a really enjoyable and restorative rest day!