Astorga and the Guitar Man
Today our destination was the Albergue de San Javier in Astorga. Some of the best authors and leaders in this world tell us that it’s not about the destination, but rather the journey that takes us there. Today’s walk, for me, felt like the actual start of this journey, and it was the first time I truly understood what those quotable authors/leaders were talking about.
I was with Mary, Louan, and Christie for a good majority of the walk and we could not stop talking about the gorgeous snow capped mountains ahead of us. I think today felt like the real first day because of these mountains, flowers, and all of nature’s beauty that surrounded us. In the midst of our conversation, we reached a hill and when we got to the top there was a stop-worthy view: a wooden cross with rocks all around the base, beautiful Astorga and mountains in the distance, and an elderly man with a guitar, singing of the pergrinas and Santiago. The rest of the walk was a breeze and we even met a man with a feathered hat who showed us around his beautiful village and then walked us to our Albergue.
It’s the little things like the conversation, the tiny snow-capped mountains that grow with every step, the cross, the village, and the people that allowed me to see that the journey really is everything. Today marks my favorite day thus far.
Katie MacDonald
Hokies hiking the Camino de Santiago 