Last night we had a wonderful communal dinner with 19 other pilgrims. For the first time we were in a dormitory and had to share a room on this Camino. 

We left at 6:30 as usual. The day was going to be up and down, but overall,  we were destined to arrive in a  beautiful valley. 

We began climbing immediately out of town. 

Very soon we entered a forest of birch trees. It was magnificent and utterly quite. You could hear the deafening roar of silence. The walk was magical, meditative, and divine. 

Walking in this divine environment, I could not help but remember Rumi’s poetry. 

Rumi

(1207 -1273)

Behind the Scenes

Is it your face

that adorns the garden?
Is it your fragrance

that intoxicates this garden?
Is it your spirit

that has made this brook

a river of wine?

Hundreds have looked for you

and died searching

in this garden

where you hide behind the scenes.

But this pain is not for those

who come as lovers.
You are easy to find here.
You are in the breeze

and in this river of wine.

Book: The Essential Rumi by Rumi

After a half-hour of walking through the enchanted forest, we were out into the mountains again, climbing some more. 

We continued on to the next town where we met quite a few other pilgrims, all gathered to enjoy coffee and tea by the roadside. 

Chatting with Trevor from England. 

Our roommate from last night, Guy, from Quebec. 

We entered another forest. This one was full of chestnut trees. 

We enjoyed our picnic lunch on the way down the mountain. We met our inspiration for the day in this French lady (wearing a white cap), 78 years young, carrying a full backpack and going up and down these tough slopes merrily. 

We finally saw our destination for today. It is a charming medieval town nestled in the valley below. 

It is a cute little town with narrow streets, a beautiful church, a chateau, and with arched gates to enter the inner sanctum.