Arcade ( pronounced arr-codd -a)

What a beautiful little Spanish town! So thankful that it was a shorter walk today. Yesterday almost did me in and I questioned my sanity- as well as the sanity of the many, many pilgrims who were walking the same path at various times. What the heck behooves someone to WALK through the countryside and small towns when it is so easy and accessible to taxi or bus or uber. Don’t ask me.

I look back on yesterday and realize that dehydration may have been involved, even though I did my best to drink a lot of water. And possibly a touch of heat stroke.

I guess I am supposed to learn something through this. Bethany says I am supposed to learn to let her help, to not try to do everything myself. It’s a different role for me—daughter helping mother.

She insisted on transferring some things out of my backpack to her’s – we practically got into an argument at a cafe this morning, but she started shoving items into her bag, not listening to her mother.

I must admit it helped. I’ve only fallen and scraped my knees once and “almost tripped” a hundred times. I guess she wants me to make it to Santiago sans broken bones. It’s not easy walking on some of the paths – jagged boulders partially buried in the dusty trail, camouflaged by the dust. Perfect tripping material. I feel bad for the cyclists as it makes for difficult navigation.

I sound practically infirm! But I’m not. If Bethany couldn’t have come with me I am delusional enough to believe I could go solo (lots of women older than me do!) but…I am so thankful we are together. Dale and I raised a lovely daughter.