Edward here! Today, we officially passed the 100km mark, which is a significant point on the journey because it represents the minimum that pilgrims must walk to earn their certificate. The character of the Camino changes here, too, as the trail becomes busier, accumulating newcomers and gradually converging with other routes as we approach Santiago.
We wanted to find a proper signpost to mark this important threshold, but this is the best we could come up with:
The signposts in Galicia are oddly specific. Surely they could have placed this one six meters earlier to give us the satisfaction of a round 100km. But who are we to question the Camino?
Today was filled with various highlights. In the first fifteen minutes, we found a beautiful Marian shrine carved into the inside of a 700-year-old tree.
The morning’s walk was through an enchanting green forest blanketed with fog.
We had breakfast in a rural cafe where we chatted with fellow pilgrims who we met last night. As the fog gave way to sun, we passed a sculptor’s studio.
The artist gave us a stamp in our credential book using burning wax. Pictured below is a page from my credential book, which gives us access to alburgues and verifies that we have walked the Camino when we finally seek our certificate. It also serves as a nice keepsake, a record of where we have stayed and what we have seen.
Our end point is an alburgue run by British alumni of the Camino. The volunteers welcomed us with afternoon tea. We are now resting and gearing up for a longer walk tomorrow, which will end at an alburgue connected to a Trappist monastery known for its delicious fudge. This last stretch of the Camino is certainly granting its share of delights!