Start: Aruza
End: Arca
Distance: 12.68 miles (20.41 kilometers) and 1,079 feet (328.88 meters) of ascent.
Quote: “Coincidence is the word we use when we can't see the levers and pulleys.” ~ Emma Bull
Musings: Our penultimate walk started out with beautiful blue skies! It was such a change from the rain yesterday. But there were big changes in other ways too. The Camino Del Norte and the Camino Frances meet in Aruza, which is the town where we stayed last night. The Camino Frances is a much more traditional route and typically has many more pilgrims on it than the Del Norte. So suddenly, the streets and all the other places we looked in Aruza were filled with pilgrims. At breakfast this morning, our cafe was packed with people hauling backpacks and carrying poles. And the trail itself today seemed like a freeway during rush hour traffic—at least compared to our experience on the Del Norte. On the Del Norte you’d see the same few people along the trail each day as you hop-scotched ahead and behind them. But now there were more people than anyone could possibly keep track of. And there were so many services available. Every few kilometers there was another cafe with music playing and tables filled with hungry pilgrims. There was even a station where a tired pilgrim could get a massage. It was like one long party along the way today! And I suppose that’s appropriate because everyone is getting excited about completing this enormous task they’ve undertaken.
But I have to tell you about an incredible coincidence that happened today. In that mass of people, somehow Carol managed to find Viv and Martin, our friends from the UK who now live in Spain. They waited for me (the lolligagger) until I caught up, and then the four of us walked together the rest of the day. As we walked, Viv told me an amazing story. She and Martin have a good friend in the UK, Liz, who they’ve known for decades and who helped them train when they were just getting into running and doing marathons. Viv told me that she hadn’t been in close touch with Liz while she was on this trip, but that Liz had contacted her yesterday and said that she’d been following this blog about two women on the Del Norte, Tami and Carol, and Liz thought the two women must be in approximately the same area as Martin and Viv! Liz then started sending Viv pictures from the Camino Capers!! I could hardly believe it when Viv told me the story. What an incredibly small world that one of Viv and Martin’s friends in the UK would somehow hear about or find this blog independently of them! It’s just shows how very interconnected we all are in so many ways that we don’t even realize. I think that’s perhaps my biggest take away from this trip. In the end, aren’t we all just one big Camino family, all thoroughly interconnected, on this walk of life? Let’s walk with each other then; let’s talk and get to know each other along the way; let’s lend a hand to help each other as we strive and hope to reach our Santiagos; and most of all, let’s love one another as we all walk this Camino together.
Carol had some musings this evening that she wants to share with you too. Here they are:
Thoughts on the Eve of our Last Walk on the Camino Del Norte
Yesterday afternoon we arrived in Arzua where the Norte meets the Frances Camino. From peaceful walks totally alone for the last 4 weeks to people everywhere and constant chatter. And this morning crowded cafes and rush hour pilgrim traffic headed out on the one trail to Santiago All with differing journeys and the same goal. Get to Santiago!!! From solo chats with God for 5 weeks. to life with all of its distractions and noise. And a good lesson for all of us to make a concerted effort to continue to work hard at Grace and Kindness and a Strong relationship with God and our beautiful Earth! Buen Camino . One more day🤪💪.
Tomorrow is our last day of walking. It’s honestly a bit surreal, and there are lots of mixed emotions. This journey has been so much more than I imagined, and I’ll be sad to see it end. But I’m also missing my husband, who will be in Santiago tomorrow to greet Carol and me, and I’m missing my home and other family members and friends as well. So honestly, there are just are lots of big emotions about tomorrow all jumbled up! I plan to post something quick tomorrow to let everyone know when Carol and I hopefully reach Santiago. And then, I’ll post a more fulsome and final entry to the Camino Capers later in the weekend.
I cannot begin to express how much Carol and I have appreciated all your support, kind words, prayers, good juju, and cheers in the past weeks. It’s meant more to us than words can ever convey.
Until tomorrow, and our final walk, here are the photos from today:
Lots of pilgrims streaming out of Aruza.
New shells for our backpacks
Martin, Viv, and Carol on the trail ahead of me.
A house along the way with a collection of pilgrim shoes turned into planters!
The collection of tomatoes and basil at our restaurant tonight. They were delicious sliced on our plates!!
So sweet. I am sniffly at “our” adventure ending tomorrow. Thank you for taking me along as you have walked so far softly and carrying a big hiking stick. Love the new scallop shells! Peace out.
Your adventure has been inspiring. Enjoy each step on this last day! Thanks again for sharing!