Leon to Villar de Mazarife 21.5K Day 18

This was a day of new beginnings. We have left and survived the dreaded meseta. We bid farewell this morning to many of our friends along the Way. Many Europeans finish their two-week holidays in Leon, saving the final trip into Santiago for the next year. The Finns have been slated for a faster pace from here on in, including a 45K finish into Santiago.....we like them, but not THAT much!

Under Judy´s encouragement, we chose the longer route today that retreated from the noisy highway and wound through a number of lovely villages. As far as I was concerned, this route was worth every step! Entering into Virgen del Camino, we found ourselves in the midst of a ´Virgin´ fesitval (we´re talking about Mary here lol). The market stretched for blocks and we loved the breads, pastries, nuts of every size and variety, jewlery, clothes, and scarves that were so hard to pass by......in fact some of us didn´t!

I realized today how happy I was to be out of the hustle and bustle of the big city and back in the countryside, where one can look around and not see a building for miles nor hear anything except the twittering of birds, the wind rustling the grasses and the sound of plodding boots. I loved walking in solitude and just being.....enjoying the colours, sounds, and sensations. I felt such peace and contentment. It is such a blessed relief to have all the possessions I need in a pack on my back. Isn´t it ironic that we spend so much time and energy accumulating our stuff, managing our stuff, and finally purging our stuff, all the time believing that it´s our ´stuff´that will bring us security, peace and contentment?

Arrived at Tio Pepe´s Albergue in Mazarife. Felt like we were in a five star resort even though we were washing clothes by hand and basking in the sun on dubious lawn chairs, BUT we were chatting with friends, discussing challenging ideas, and reflecting together in our journals.

As I am typing this, Pepe is making delicious smells in the kitchen, an indication of a good meal about to be served.

Thanks to all our friends who taken the time to comment on the blog and encourage us. We really look forward to these comments and always try to respond personally :)