Day 9. A Peaceful Moment

I hiked eleven miles today, a leisurely walk along the coast and then a slightly more difficult climb inland to La Posada de Fernanda in Rio Seco where I am staying tonight. The trail was well marked, though I do keep my Buen Camino app handy which includes my gps position on satellite view map.

My walk today along the Camino marked in yellow. I am a blue dot covered by the Pension symbol (P) in lower left. Do you ever feel like a blue dot?

About 5 km out of Castro-Urdiales, just outside Cerdigo, I came across a church that was actually open. Most of them are locked up tighter than the pearly gates, so I happily entered. I sat in a pew towards the back and unburdened myself from my day bag and backpack. There was a woman tidying up the church. “Romanesque,” she told me. “From the 12th century.” She pointed out the original walls and arches of the church. I nodded, then closed my eyes. A peaceful feeling came over me and I sat there relaxing in it. “My peace I give to you” came to mind. Such a gift! If only I could give it! Afterward, being in that mood, I looked up today’s gospel and the last words continued to ring softly through my mind as I continued on my way, transformed a bit: “From peace I came into the world; now I leave the world and return to peace.”

Between Cerdigo and Islares, on a path towards the rocky coast, I came upon a most beautiful and enchanted path. The dark branches of the trees arched over to form a passageway towards a blue light, which turned out to be the ocean.