Burgos, Spain

Finally internet at a hostel. I decided to stay at remote places and check out the donativo experience on the Camino. I stayed at a church in Granon and my first thought was that it was going to be a painful experience. Sleeping on the floor with just mats in an old church that was a little eerie for my taste. I was completely wrong of course. It was the best experience on the camino so far. I highly recommend any donativo experience. Donativo albergue´s usually eat dinner together with all the pilgrams. We made food for the next evening for the next day pilgrams as we prepared the food from what the previous pilgrams had left us. After dinner we are treated with one of the staff singing a song in the church while we prayed and shared our thoughts during a passing the candle ceromony. It was quite emotional at one point when a German pilgram explained that one of his friend had passed away that evening and he had just received the news a few hours before dinner. Death is always tough...but I´m sure he´s now one of his angels watching over him during his walk.

Luckily I have yet to get lost on the camino. Whenever I feel like I can´t find the markings on the road I either run into some random locals that point the directions to the right path.

I have tons more that I have written in my journal that I will share with everyone but I will stop here since all the one euro per 20 min on the internet are adding up. As soon as I get to a PC with an USB port I will post all the beautiful sights from this journey.

You do not find the path...the path finds you...the path can not be defined as it defines you.

Day of St. Michael

Oliver the German (that´s my name for him) told me a few days ago that he will walk each day for someone in need or someone close to him in his life. A couple days ago he told me he is walking for his brother Michael when we left to go to Estella...24 km for the day. Right before we got to Estella, Oliver stopped in his path and told me ´look...that old Catheral is named San Miguel, Spanish for St. Michael, must be a sight...I will take pictures and meet you in Estella!´

I wanted to give him some privacy so I trekked forward to our next stop. When I arrived at Estella, I decided to wait for him at the entrance. About 10 minutes later I saw Oliver in the distance with a glowing smile. Upon arrival he said ´you´re not going to believe this, when I got to the church, I decided to phone my brother Michael and told him that I was walking for him and I am standing in front of the church named San Miguel´ he continued ´my brother couldn´t believe it and told me that this is Day of St. Michael´

wow...coincedence?? I am a believer in the special way of St. James...things just don´t happen this way anywhere else in the world. I think Oliver also became a believer...

We checked into the hostel that evening and made a toast to his brother Michael...with La Cervace de San Miguel...fitting

Buen Camino!