We Took A Wrong Turn and Ended Up In Paradise

I have had another profound day on my camino. A day filled with love and powerfully positive feelings ... very appropriate for Mother's Day it seems.
Yes Happy Mother's Day to my friends and family that are fortunate enough to be mothers. We have all been blessed with a difficult yet joyous task, that of bringing up, of nurturing a fellow human. This is much more daunting than merely walking 1000 kilometers.

My new camino friend Martina from Germany is a believer in convening with nature. She inspired me to follow her lead, to take time for contemplation sitting on a rock or on a log. This is an activity that I always enjoy but never do often enough. The act of sitting quietly in nature is different from the contemplation while walking. One's attention can be fully on the surroundings and not always where one's foot will be landing.

Last evening we enjoyed Naty Bar so much that we returned for breakfast. We had an easy 14kms ahead of us so we lingered over coffee, tea and delicious pastries. This is not our usual fare but the pastries were available and it is Mother's Day. So porque no?!

Our day started on straight farm roads, a lovely rural area.

Small villages are every few kilometers in this area. Due to the abundance of water and sunshine there are many flowers and large vegetable garden plots (usually bordered with grapes vines).

Roses, lilies and jasmine are common here.

In Padroso we were delighted to find this cafe open on Sunday morning.

We all enjoyed a zumo de naranja natural (fresh squeezed o.j.)

Not as easy to find as we expected.

Jasmine and roses

Corn cribs, a common sight here. Constructed so rodents will not infest and ruin the corn.

When one walks several kms every day carrying a 20 pound pack, one may occasionally allow herself a 500 calorie (not sure how many actually but it tasted like at least 1000!) Magnum Bar.

(Out of order)

A chaser to the o.j.

Double Chocolate Magnum Bars

Cuz they were there &

Ya gotta buy em when you see em &

Besides  once again, it is Mother's Day

Once we finally got going once again we came across this peaceful water spring in the woods.

As we climbed

The yellow and purple together was so beautiful, combined with the stunning view .... so many times to be grateful today... to be where I am, omg I am so fortunate!

Now add some trees

Again GRATEFUL!!!

Now some rocks.

This is where I had my sweet contemplation time.

I thought that ...

Well some things are too personal to share.

But basically today gave me so much inspiration to live the best life that I can, to be the best person as I can. I long to hold on to these feelings once I am back home.

The view that inspired.

Eventually I got back on my feet and enjoyed the 5 kms downhill to my destination for the night, a town (yes bigger than a village!) called Xunqueira de Ambia. This is the outside of the modern albergue.

Side note: often the albergues will have 1 toilet/sink/shower in 1 room. So if someone was having a shower no one else could use the other facilities. Here in Galicia so far the facilities are far better organised. One large room with cubicles for the toilets and cubicles for the showers plus sinks ... Genius.

Monasterio de Xunqueira de Ambia

Founded in 955 with updates in 1164 and 1759. Declared a National Monument in 1931.

Once again we enjoyed a large mid afternoon meal. There were many open restaurant bars near the main square where of course the church is located.

Now time to explore.

Manana y'all