The Countdown

Today, the walk was unrelentingly beautiful. I walked through an ancient forest of gnarled oak and chestnut trees. Sometimes the forest would clear to reveal a cow pasture and farmland.  The path was suddenly lined with apple trees. When I shook one down it was the most delicious apple I’ve ever tasted. 

Everything about the Camino now speaks of getting closer to Santiago. Distance markers are very close together as they count down the kilometers to Santiago. There was one every 3 tenths of a kilometer today. The last one I saw before my hostal was 103km. The restaurant in the hostal is selling touristy memorabilia. I’m seeing more and more pilgrims. The 100K marker is the nearest a pilgrim can start the walk to Santiago and still receive an official certificate, the Compostela, at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago.