another wool blend pair on top . I saw pilgrims bandaging blisters or sitting out until their feet healed and was thankful not to have these issues .
My walking days during the last week of April were sunny and mild with temps around 12 – 18 C , but the last day was wet . Unable to find the yellow Camino arrow markers after leaving our countryside lodging , I stayed on a road that led to the main highway . I was quite visible in a bright yellow rain poncho , but cars turned onto the highway , oblivious to my plight . When I called my husband , he encouraged me to catch a lift .
The rain intensified and cars and transport trucks whizzed by on the highway . My luck turned though , when a woman on her way to work at a toy shop downtown rolled down her window and offered me a ride . The saying “ the Camino will provide ” proved true that day . We chatted in Spanish as she navigated the downpour , water everywhere .
Once the rain slowed to a drizzle , I thanked the woman profusely for her kindness and resumed my walk through the streets of Santiago de Compostela . When I arrived at the narrow cobblestone streets of the old town and the cathedral , I felt a mixture of elation and relief as my journey concluded .
At the credentials office near the cathedral , I received a certificate of the 124-km walk and my official Compostela ( the document that certifies that a pilgrim has completed the Camino de Santiago ), a pair of keepsakes to treasure . Walking the Camino gave me a keen sense of empowerment and I loved everything about it .
A group of fellow pilgrims at a rest stop in Redondela , Spain . The author , upper right
Waterfalls in the forest are always a delight
Shopkeepers enjoy passing the time of day with pilgrims who stop by
Delia McCrae taught Spanish and French with Edmonton Public Schools and served as president of the ATA ’ s Second Language and Intercultural Council . While studying in Spain , Delia had been inspired to walk the Camino . Decades later she finally connected with the ethos of a deeply rooted centuries-old Camino community that is still thriving today .
WINTER 2024 | 29