Getting totally philosophical...

I am in Santo Domingo de Silos...famous for it's singing monjos (monks) known for their beautiful Gregorian chanting. Imagine being in an old stone cathedral high in the mountains overlooking a picturesque valley...the acoustics are perfect for Los Cantos...the chants. I am taking a brief detour here after arriving in Burgos, the capital of the Castilla and Leon region. Alexa and I have walked every day (generally 23 to 30km per day...and yes our pants are sagging). This has been our first real break...There has been much celebrating going on for the Fiestas de San Juan...as well as the Fiestas de San Pablo and San Pedro...the Saints famous in the region. We arrived in Burgos to crowded streets during a city wide parade along the main street and the Plaza Mayor...and had to wend our way through crowds with bulky packs as we had to follow the conch shell or yellow arrow symbols of the Camino in order to know where we were going...we thought people would be annoyed with us but instead they were kind and wished us "Buen Camino!" and "peregrinos!" There were huge fireworks and people partied in the streets all night long...including a few peregrinos! The "fiestas" are popular and we have been catching them from town to town.

We have met a father and son duo from Oxford, and another mother-daughter from Boston. Alexa and I have found a way to work out her need to stay with the Camino friends group and my need to do a detour here and there by seperating out as neccesary. It is working out. We are
together but are respecting our individual needs along the way, as it should be. I find the
Camino to be a deeply personal experience and is feels like a perfect metaphor for the way we
live life. You are on your own journey and it takes you many places. You meet many people and
have many experiences along the way. You connect, you share, you laugh, you struggle, you
grow...Ultimately we understand that we must walk the Camino on our own terms...in a way that is a true relection of who we are. We must be true to ourselves. It is the work of our lives. Sometimes we attach to things because they give us comfort or inspiration or a sense of belonging. But if we are not growing we have to seek a path in which we can...It is solely up to us to find our way...we can't let fear get in the way...we must rest and reflect
as neccessary...it is up to each individual to find the nutrients in life that feed us. It is important to know who we are.

m