Pictures I promised

New friend: Fidel the Wonder Pup

But why is it called Puzzle's?

That's the puzzle.

This is a donkey. I spent a good twenty minutes petting him. We're buddies now.

Official halfway point of the Camino! Right outside of Sahagún.

Look at this idiot. <3

Marco: The Most Italian Man Ever. We still don't know where he got that bottle of wine or where he was keeping it. Same goes for the sandwich.

La Famiglia. From left to right: me, Evan, Aoife, Marco, Luis, Darline, Chiara, Giulia

Cutest thing on the Camino: Darline avec watermelon

We found a stamp and put it on my head. I do not have a tattoo.

Yet.

There is an iron cross, Cruz de Ferro, at the highest point on the camino. It's traditional to leave something there at the base that is personal or significant to you. Many people carry stones along the way to represent how far they've come both physically and emotionally on this journey. These are what I left.

I warn you, the next image is not pretty. This is what happens when someone who is severely allergic to horses decides to pet a horse at 2am and then sleeps in a tent in a field next to the horses.

But at least I'm smiling.

Two happy girls at the end of the Camino.

Breakfast: thick hot chocolate, churros for dipping, and fresh orange juice.

The coolest place on the Camino: La Casa de Dioses

Annoying little brother from another mother. What a goof.

And there you have it, folks. That's the Camino.

Ultreia,

Sam

Santiago

I apologize for the radio silence - I know some people were worried. Days blur together and my last update doesn't seem like it was very long ago.

It also seems like yesterday that I was climbing through the Pyrenees from St Jean Pied-de-Port, and yet it's been over a month and I am now about to start my very last day of the walk. Santiago is 27.6k away (about 17 miles) and if I set a good pace I'll be there by 3pm. And that's the end of it. From Santiago I'm taking a bus with some friends to Finisterre (once thought to be the edge of the world) and then it's back up to Paris to catch my flight home.

The family I've made here, the sights I've seen, the dogs I've met, are all incredible. I haven't taken as many pictures as I ought, but that just means you'll have to come see it all for yourself. 

What a wild ride it has been.

Walk easy,

Sam

PS Pictures to follow, since I did take some.

Fonfria

I'm in Fonfria and I just had such a good dinner. - Sam

Officially halfway!

Carrion De Los Condes

Sam has walked 371 KM (230.5 miles) and has 398 KM (247 miles) to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrsVEE6RF2g

http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/fromista.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyGUjJ50l9w

Here's a different look at the terrain:

Doggoneit

This is Dylan Ray Santiago - Dylan after Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas, Ray because that's what was actually on his collar, along with a phone number, which helped my peace of mind a lot. Dylan followed me and my friend Aoife from Ventosa to Nájera, almost 12 kilometers.

There are a lot of dogs in these small towns who seem to know how to take themselves for walks and then go home afterwards. Dylan did not turn out to be one of these.

We gave him peanut butter, he came when we called him, he sat (and gave us a paw!) when we told him to, and he never ran too far ahead and always came back to make sure we were still there.

When we got to Nájera we took him to the Guardia Civil, where the police called his owners - though if they hadn't been able to I would be totally fine with having Dylan to accompany me on the Camino.

So that's all I've got for now.

I had a dog for three hours a few days ago. It was great.

Doglessly yours,

Sam

Peachy

I am in the nicest albergue. Every bed has a light and an outlet. The bathrooms smell like peaches. - Sam