Camino Trip- Day #6

Day 1 of Walking - June 13, 2026 

Portuguese Camino 

Valença to Porriño - 14.02 miles 

 Prayers for our Pilgrimage

Almighty God who created each of us
to bear your image to and on the earth,
Help us to reflect your calming presence in this group;
Help us to reinterpret the mundane, reexamine the past,                  
and reimagine our futures

in light of your work in our lives and in the world,
Through the practice of sharing our souls with this community.
And so that we might cultivate an environment that is safe and fit for our growth,
Help us to speak from our own experience
Avoid breaking confidence
Be patient while we listen,
Participate without distraction,
And refrain from giving unsolicited advice;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.
-Miguel Escobar 

Help us during our pilgrimage to stay sharp, to look for your presence and your work in our lives and in the world around us- so that we may come to see you better and become more of ourselves as you know and love us.

Our first mile each day was a silent mile.

(I borrowed this idea from my friend and mentor Doug Bunnell, who walked the Camino with his wife, Laurie, during a sabbatical several years ago. It proved to be a gift—a gentle invitation to begin each day with reflection, prayer, and attentiveness, rather than feeling the pressure to dive right into conversation with the other 28 pilgrims on our team.)

crossing the River Minho 

arriving in Spain (Jaime, Brooke, Emily and Regi) 

Tui Cathedral 

meeting Arian (banana man) from Germany who was along the trail 

sharing bananas for donations or for free (He came on the Camino after his father passed away and he left his restaurant job for a fresh start). 

some of the many beautiful hydrangeas along the way 

Mike and Hannah 

Hannah walking the Camino 

Gnome made a special appearance along the way a few times 

the river was good medicine as we jumped in along the Camino 

with Richard and Carla (wonderful husband and wife team) at Restaurante Fatum 

Camino Trip- Day #5

Blessing the Threshold

This blessing
has been waiting for you
for a long time.
While you have been
making your way here
this blessing has been
gathering itself
making ready
biding its time
praying.
This blessing has been
polishing the door
oiling the hinges
sweeping the steps
lighting candles
in the windows.
This blessing has been
setting the table
as it hums a tune
from an old song
it knows,
something about
a spiraling road
and bread
and grace.
All this time
it has kept an eye
on the horizon,
watching,
keeping vigil,
hardly aware of how
it was leaning itself
in your direction.
And now that
you are here
this blessing
can hardly believe
its good fortune
that you have finally arrived,
that it can drop everything
at last
to fling its arms wide
to you, crying
welcome, welcome, welcome.

-Jan Richardson 

gates to enter the Valença fortress ready to welcome our pilgrimage team 

six folks on our team on the bus on the way to Valença

greeting the bus with bubbles 

Jaime, Erika, Keagan, Brooke, Emily, Josh, and Regi 

(appropriately wearing my shirt that says "So excited to be here") 

taking these four into Valença so they could explore 

(and Keagan found his wedding ring for their upcoming wedding August 28th in town at a shop I pointed out to him!!) 

the old town of Valença inside the fortress walls 

bringing bubbles to the train station to greet this whole crowd who arrived this afternoon 

This wonderful train conductor joined me in blowing bubbles to welcome the team 

so happy to have Renee and James B here! 

gardenias on the side of the road! 

it was a hot day so a few of us headed down to jump in the Minho River (fun fact-- it also is the natural international boundary between Spain and Portugal) 

with Mike and Lorelle 

Regi, Jaime, Emily, Hannah, and Lorelle 

opening dinner at Restaurante Solar do Bacalhau in Valença

Cheers!  (with edible glitter in our wine glasses that I brought!) 

delivering a thank you note to Alexandra at Restaurante Solar 

Valença at sunset 

heart rocks spotted in the cobbled stone streets