Last night I dined with 3 other old men, two Brits and an Italian. The Italian in his 70’s comes from Treviso. When I biked the Dolomites we stayed in Treviso and I showed him some pictures of me and the guys in his home town. He liked that. The Via de la Plata has a high percentage old men walking alone as Pilgrims, myself included. My coughing- where I snatched my rattling last breaths with deep sea diver sounds, and dogs barking made for another fitful sleep. Rather than birds signing, this morning I was greeted with dogs barking up and down the street, donkeys braying, cows mooing and sheep bleating. And the dogs are big here, unlike most of the dogs in Naples Florida. On the Camino I passed a sheep farm where scores of sheep were giving birth. I saw lambs taking their first steps under the protective watch of their mothers. Other lambs were not so lucky as their mothers tried to lick their lifeless bodies to health-a powerful image of creating life on the Camino. It was such an intimate scene, I kept my camera in my pocket.

I joined a group fairly early on, a father and son from France, a woman from Canada and a middle aged man from Korea. I also saw people I’ve been seeing and talking to for the past 5 days. While I like my solitude, there’s no denying the time passes so much faster when you walk with others. It’s a choice. I made it to Monesterio and went straight to my hotel. They have a restaurant and store here so no need to leave. I prefer my time on the Camino over being in the day’s destination town.

Today’s travelling companions

A wonderful place to stop, pray and give thanks for all God has blessed me with, you guys included

Today’s finish