25,591 steps – 16.81 kms

After yesterday’s demanding trek, today felt wonderfully relaxed from the very beginning. Breakfast at the Posada didn’t start until 8:30 a.m., which meant we could enjoy a slower morning marvelling at the craftsmanship of the structure we were staying in. Stone walls that were one foot wide! A building that originally served as a shelter for pilgrims.

It was nice lingering in the breakfast room alongside other pilgrims – sharing countries we were from, stories of our walks and plans for the day. We met two women from Oregon – an aunt in her 70s and her niece. We felt a kinship with them as we too are aunt and niece. We ended up walking with them for a good portion of the morning. One of the unexpected gifts of the Camino is how naturally conversations happen along the trail. We shared laughs and companionship as the kilometers passed beneath our feet.

Today’s walk to Laredo was shorter and much easier than yesterday’s route. We had only one mountain to climb, and thankfully it wasn’t nearly as steep or exhausting as the climbs we tackled the day before. The gentler pace gave us more opportunity to simply enjoy.

When we arrived in town, we still had some time before check-in, so we wandered through the city and explored. Laredo sits right along the beautiful Bay of Biscay. There is something calming about being near the water – the seaside atmosphere made for a peaceful afternoon.

One thing we noticed though was the number of older, abandoned buildings scattered throughout the town. Some of them once must have been spectacular, and it felt sad seeing them slowly deteriorating. There is so much history and character in those relics, and without restoration, many may eventually crumble away.

For dinner, we changed things up and had pizza – a welcome break from our usual pintos. Afterwards, we headed in to catch up on our logs, grateful for an easier day and the new friendships formed along the way.

”Pilgrims share more than the road; they share pieces of themselves.”

Sandy and Jackie Avatar

Published by

Leave a comment